Rights groups call for help stopping Israeli 'pogrom' against Palestinians in West Bank

Israeli rights groups have called on the international community to intervene in order to prevent a "pogrom" in the occupied West Bank.

Organisations including B’Tselem, Rabbis for Human Rights and the Palestinian-run Adalah said action was needed to prevent further deaths after Israeli settlers killed four Palestinians on Friday.

A group of armed settlers killed the four Palestinians in the village of Tel, near Nablus, while a Palestinian seized a weapon from one of the settlers and opened fire, killing two of them.

Though an Israeli army investigation found that the settlers had entered an off-limits area, the Israeli government ordered the army to demolish the home of the Palestinian accused of killing the two settlers.

The military said it was conducting an operation in Nablus to arrest dozens of Palestinians who "participated in the incident".

Rights groups said that "immediate pressure" must be placed on Israel to stop further attacks, prevent "pogroms" and uphold internationa law.

"In recent days, violence by settler militias, enabled and supported by the Israeli army, has escalated across the West Bank, including the torching and destruction of Palestinian property, and the forced expulsion of families and communities," they said in a statement.

"These attacks have been met with silence and inaction from much of the international community, allowing the violence to continue and intensify."

Last month, B’Tselem said Israeli forces were killing Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank at the highest rate since 1967, with 54 shot dead in 2025 alone.

The Israeli human rights group said nearly one in four Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the occupied territory since October 2023 has been a minor, marking the highest proportion since the occupation began.

Israeli settlers and troops killed four Palestinians during an attack on a village in the occupied West Bank on Friday, during which a soldier and a settler were also shot dead. pic.twitter.com/4xq4yvV71E

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) July 24, 2026

Despite the high child death toll, no one has been held accountable and there are no known indictments linked to the killings since October 2023.

B’Tselem said the deaths were not "isolated mistakes or violations of military orders".

Instead, it said they were the result of an Israeli policy that permits lax rules of engagement, routinely labels Palestinians as "terrorists", and shields soldiers who use lethal force.