The Palestinian Presidency condemned on Friday the 'crimes' committed by Israeli forces and settlers against residents of the West Bank, particularly following recent events in the village of Tel in the Nablus governorate, which resulted in the killing of four Palestinians from one family and the wounding of three others with serious injuries.

It also condemned the 'barbaric attacks on peaceful citizens and their property in the towns and villages of Awarta, Sarra, Imatin, Fara'ta, Umriha, and Masafer Yatta, in addition to the storming of Nablus Specialized Hospital, intimidating medical staff and citizens, assaulting them, and kidnapping citizens.'

In a statement, the Palestinian Presidency held the Israeli government 'fully responsible for the daily crimes' committed by settlers, which have resulted in the killing of 87 Palestinians since the beginning of the year.

It stated that the Israeli government 'provides financial and political support to settler gangs to escalate their terrorism against citizens in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and to implement the forced displacement plan, while continuing its war against our people in the Gaza Strip, despite the announcement of a ceasefire.'

The Presidency warned against 'the continuation of these daily crimes and violations' against Palestinians, stressing that the Israeli government 'is pushing the West Bank towards explosion, in implementation of its colonial plans.'

It expressed its condemnation of the decisions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Defense Minister that followed the events in the village of Tel, which call for accelerating the establishment and framing of colonial outposts, reinforcing forces in the West Bank, intensifying raids, and imposing a siege on Nablus and its surroundings.

The Palestinian Presidency called on the US administration to intervene and compel Israel to stop its escalation and to stop settler crimes, stressing that the continuation of the current situation will drag the entire region into dire consequences.

It also called on the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibilities to stop this Israeli escalation, provide protection for Palestinians, and hold Israel accountable for these crimes.

This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered on Friday the establishment of new settlement outposts in the West Bank after bloody clashes that resulted in the deaths of two Israelis and four Palestinians.

The clashes took place on Friday near the settlement of Havat Gilad and the adjacent Palestinian village of Tel in the West Bank.

Following the incident, Netanyahu affirmed that his government would act 'firmly,' and announced, together with Defense Minister Israel Katz, a 'series of steps' including raids on Palestinian villages suspected of harboring gunmen, and 'accelerating the legalization of agricultural settlement outposts and establishing new ones.'

For his part, the head of the Tel village council, Walid Zaidan, told Agence France-Presse that about 20 Israeli settlers entered the village around 8:30 a.m. Zaidan added, 'The villagers came out to defend their homes and property, and clashes broke out between residents and settlers.' He continued, 'Israeli soldiers were present, and they, along with the settlers, opened fire... The settlers were the ones who stormed the village with the intention of killing, vandalizing property, and setting it on fire.'

For its part, the Israeli army said that violent confrontations occurred between dozens of Palestinians and Israeli civilians. A military official added that a security emergency response team from the settlement of Havat Gilad was called to the scene along with soldiers.

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