Occupied Jerusalem, April 23 (SANA) The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission announced on Wednesday that 15 Palestinians have been killed in attacks carried out by Israeli settlers since the beginning of 2026, following the death of a young man in Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah.
According to the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), head of the commission Moayyad Shaaban said the escalation of settler attacks in towns east of Ramallah reflects an accelerating pattern of organized assaults targeting residents and their land.
He said these attacks are carried out under the direct protection of Israeli occupation forces, as part of a policy aimed at imposing new realities on the ground.
Local sources reported that the victim, Odeh Atef Awawdeh, died after succumbing to critical injuries sustained when settlers opened fire during an attack on the outskirts of Deir Dibwan. He had been shot in the back and transferred in critical condition to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah, where he later died.
The commission also cited recent incidents, including the killing of two people, among them a 14-year-old student, during an attack on al-Mughayyir boys’ school northeast of Ramallah earlier this week. Another 16-year-old was killed after being struck by a vehicle driven by a settler in Hebron.
According to the commission, a total of 1,819 attacks were recorded in March, including 1,322 carried out by Israeli occupation forces and 497 by settlers.
The attacks were concentrated mainly in Hebron, which recorded 321 incidents, followed by Nablus with 315, Ramallah and al-Bireh with 292, and Jerusalem with 203, indicating a sustained pattern of targeting in these areas.
IZ/RK