Israeli forces search Jordan Valley after stabbing wounds man in West Bank

August 23, 2026 at 01:38 PM3 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Israeli forces launched a large-scale search in the Jordan Valley after an Israeli man in his 20s was stabbed at a commercial complex near al-Auja in the occupied West Bank on Sunday. The suspect fled the scene, prompting roadblocks and searches of homes and businesses. The attack comes amid a 24 percent rise in the monthly rate of Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in 2026 compared to 2025.

Key Facts

An Israeli man in his 20s was moderately wounded in a stabbing at a commercial complex near al-Auja in the occupied West Bank on Sunday.
Israeli forces set up roadblocks in al-Auja and surrounding areas and searched homes and businesses, collecting surveillance footage.
Hamas said the attack was a response to Israeli violations and military operations in the West Bank and escalation at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex.
Between January 1, 2025, and June 31, 2026, OCHA recorded 3,033 Israeli settler attacks, with the monthly rate rising 24 percent in 2026 compared to 2025.
In a separate incident on Sunday, a 14-year-old Palestinian was critically wounded by Israeli gunfire during a military raid on Askar refugee camp east of Nablus.

The Stabbing and Search

Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday, citing a security source, that the man was stabbed at a commercial complex on the main road near the village of al-Auja. The suspect escaped from the scene after carrying out the attack, according to the Israeli army, which launched a large-scale search operation in the area supported by a substantial police presence. The army said it had set up roadblocks in the village and the surrounding areas and was in constant contact with residents and security forces in the area. Al-Auja village council head Hani Najoum said Israeli forces carried out a major operation in the village, leading to the closure of local shops, Wafa news agency reported. Israeli soldiers searched a number of homes and collected surveillance footage from private residences and businesses, Najoum added.

Hamas Response and Settler Violence

The Palestinian group Hamas said the attack was a response to what it called Israeli violations and military operations in the occupied West Bank and Palestinian territories, as well as an escalation of violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem. Hamas stated that the operation demonstrates the Palestinian people's determination to resist the occupation despite campaigns of oppression, persecution, and escalating terrorism. The incident comes amid a rise in state-backed Israeli settler violence against Palestinians across the occupied West Bank since Israel's war on Gaza began in October 2023. Data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) shows that between January 1, 2025, and June 31, 2026, there were 3,033 Israeli settler attacks. Some 1,291 settler attacks were recorded in 2023, rising to 1,449 in 2024, 1,835 in 2025, and 761 in the first four months of 2026, equating to an average of 190 attacks per month in 2026, up from 153 per month in 2025.

Separate Shooting in Askar Camp

In a separate incident on Sunday, a 14-year-old Palestinian was critically wounded by Israeli gunfire during a military raid on Askar refugee camp, east of Nablus in the northern West Bank, Wafa reported.