Ham-as has condemned an arson attack carried out earlier today by Israeli settlers against the Hajjeh Hamideh Mosque in the northern West Bank. The fire was set after settlers poured flammable materials at the mosque’s entrance, located between Deir Istiya and Kifl Hares northwest of Salfit. Residents managed to intervene quickly and prevent the building from being destroyed. Ham-as said the attack revealed the extremism behind Israeli occupation policies and accused the settlers of carrying out war crimes against Palest-inians and their religious sites with full backing from the Israeli government.

The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs also denounced the incident, calling it a clear reflection of escalating racist incitement targeting Islamic and Christian holy places in Palest-ine. The ministry described the arson as a direct assault on Muslims and their sanctities, noting that settler violence across the occupied West Bank continues to rise. In a separate attack on the same day, a Palest-inian woman suffered bruises after settlers threw stones at vehicles in the village of al-Rashaida, east of Beit Lahm.

Additional reports from WAFA said settlers spray-painted hostile slogans on the mosque’s outer walls during the arson attempt. Activist Nadhmi al-Salman linked the attack to the broader expansion of settlements in the area, warning that places of worship no longer remain protected amid repeated assaults by Israeli forces and settlers. The ministry described the burning of the Hajjeh Hamideh Mosque as part of a wider series of incidents targeting Palest-inian religious sites under occupation.