Palestinians Injured as Israeli Settlers Storm Joseph's Tomb in Nablus

In Nablus News by Newsroom05-08-2025

Palestinians Injured as Israeli Settlers Storm Joseph's Tomb in Nablus

Israeli settlers, escorted by military forces, stormed Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, leading to violent confrontations in which several Palestinians were injured, with one in critical condition. Local sources and media outlets report widespread use of live ammunition, tear gas, and property damage amid mounting regional tensions.

What Happened During the Raid on Joseph’s Tomb?

As detailed by The New Arab’s sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, dozens of Palestinians were injured by live bullets while many more suffered suffocation from tear gas as Israeli forces cleared the way for settlers early Wednesday morning to access Joseph’s Tomb, a site revered by multiple faiths—including Muslims, Christians, Samaritans, and Jews. According to local reports cited by The New Arab, Israeli troops took position in the surrounding residential zones, snipers occupied rooftops, and live rounds were fired at local youths attempting to resist the incursion, with tear gas inundating homes and streets.

Ahmed Gibreel, director of the Nablus Red Crescent, stated to The New Arab that “more than 80 Palestinians received treatment for tear gas-related injuries, with one victim in critical condition after being shot”. Ambulance crews reportedly attended to various types of injuries, including burns and trauma from falls.

Who was Involved and How Did Events Unfold?

According to WAFA News Agency, dozens of Israeli colonists, under military protection, entered the eastern part of Nablus, performing religious rituals at Joseph’s Tomb. WAFA's unnamed security sources detail how the colonists vandalised public and private property along Al-Quds(Jerusalem) Street before moving to the tomb. This led to fierce confrontations with local Palestinian residents who attempted to resist the entry.

MTV Lebanon references security sources who state:

“Dozens of settlers stormed the eastern area of the city and vandalised both public and private property along Jerusalem Street, sparking confrontations with Palestinians who tried to resist them… [they] entered Joseph’s Tomb under the protection of Israeli soldiers, where they performed Talmudic rituals.”

What Was the Response from the Authorities and Local Residents?

ILKHA and Anadolu Agency both report a significant military presence, with Israeli occupation forces entering Nablus through multiple checkpoints while deploying tear gas and sound bombs to facilitate the colonists' entry. According to Amid Ahmed of the Red Crescent’s Emergency and Ambulance Center, medical staff treated injuries ranging from burns to suffocation due to poisonous gas. Victims—including a 60-year-old—were taken to local hospitals for care.

Palestinian residents reportedly resisted the storming, leading to more confrontations. The Israeli military has not released an official statement regarding the injuries at the time of publication, as cited by ILKHA.

What is the Historical Significance and Context of Joseph’s Tomb?

Flashpoint for Violence

Anadolu Agency notes Joseph’s Tomb as a longstanding flashpoint for clashes between Palestinians and Israeli settlers. Jewish tradition views the site as the burial place of the biblical patriarch Joseph—Muslim tradition contests this, claiming an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yussef Dawiqat, is buried there.
While Jews, Christians, and Samaritans periodically visit, these visits frequently spark tension due to competing religious claims and the tomb’s location inside Palestinian-controlled Nablus.

Jordan News highlights participation by Israeli political and settlement leaders in recent incursions, with Knesset member Tzvi Sukkot and Settlements Council head Yossi Dagan joining the storming, indicating escalating settler activism in the sensitive site.

What Were the Broader Consequences and Reactions?

Dawn News reporting, using material verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad fact-checking unit, shows video evidence of settlers near Joseph’s Tomb. The footage, published on Palestinian platforms, depicts how Palestinian Authority security forces intervened and handed the settlers over to Israeli soldiers.

Meanwhile, Israeli media sources cited by Times of Israel and WAFA note that some Israeli pilgrims entered without prior military coordination and were subsequently attacked by local Palestinians, sustaining minor injuries and requiring extraction by security forces. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) report that additional groups trying to reach the tomb were turned back at city entrances for safety.

According to Anadolu Agency, the military use of tear gas in residential neighbourhoods sparked fires in local markets and a car parts warehouse, further exacerbating the damage to local infrastructure.

How Many Were Injured, and What is the Current Situation?

The precise number of injured varies by report:

  • The New Arab, quoting Nablus Red Crescent Director Ahmed Gibreel, reports “dozens” injured by live bullets and more than 80 treated for tear gas inhalation, with at least one person in critical condition.
  • ILKHA adds that ambulance teams responded to a broad spectrum of injuries, transferring those affected—including elderly citizens—to hospital.
  • WAFA and other local outlets confirm several Palestinians injured, with all victims transferred for medical care following clashes.

Further unrest is noted by Anadolu Agency, with repeated reference to escalations since the re-election of Benjamin Netanyahu and the ongoing Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

What Are the Political and International Implications?

The latest violence comes against a backdrop of mounting regional tension. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 935 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 injured in Israeli military or settler attacks since October 7, 2023, a figure cited during these recent reports by Anadolu Agency.

The International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal in July 2024, ordering, in principle, the evacuation of settlements—a point widely referenced in regional coverage. However, repeated settler incursions continue, often under military escort or amid clandestine entry, as noted in reporting by Times of Israel and corroborated by footage and eyewitnesses.

Are There Any Official Statements from Israeli or Palestinian Authorities?

No comprehensive official statement on the casualties or incident has been released by Israeli authorities at the time of reporting, as highlighted by ILKHA and confirmed by the lack of updates from the Israeli government channels. The Palestinian Red Crescent, however, has confirmed the injuries sustained and emphasised the severity of the military and settler actions in Nablus.

Coverage by respected Middle Eastern and international outlets including The New ArabWAFA News AgencyILKHAAnadolu Agency, and others confirms that the most recent storming of Joseph’s Tomb by Israeli settlers—protected or facilitated in some cases by military forces—has resulted in significant injuries and property damage in Nablus. The raid further aggravates long-standing fault lines over access, sovereignty, and religious claims in the occupied West Bank, and underscores how Joseph’s Tomb remains a volatile epicentre in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.