Politics
‘Israeli’ settlers nearly kill newborn baby in arson attack
A newborn baby girl, just 45 days old, has survived an arson attack on her home in the occupied West Bank, carried out by ‘Israeli’ settlers.
On 24 July, the village of Urif, south of Nablus, was hit by a large-scale settler attack, following a deadly confrontation in the nearby village of Tal.
Israeli settlers inflict violence on village
Around 150 armed illegal ‘Israeli’ colonists stormed Urif, opening fire on residents, throwing stones, and conducting a wave of arson which saw homes, balconies and community halls go up in flames.
— HOT SPOT (@HotSpotHotSpot) July 27, 2026
Israeli settlers set fire to homes and businesses in and around the village of Urif, south of Nablus. pic.twitter.com/y6HYySJk7Q
— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) July 24, 2026
Settlers attempt to burn residents alive
While Palestinian infant, Lana Shahada, was asleep, these settlers launched a surprise attack on her family’s home. They surrounded the house, locked all the doors and then threw Molotov cocktails and other flammable materials through the windows.
The house caught fire, and so did the girl’s room, but Lana miraculously escaped death as her family managed to pull her from the smoke and flames.
While Lana and her mother escaped the burning house, settlers pelted them with stones. Israeli occupation forces (IOF) were present throughout the incident but did nothing to stop the attack.
Embracing his smiling granddaughter, Fawzi Shahada recounted the terror attack in the video below.
In the middle of her room, a grandfather holds his infant granddaughter, who survived what could have been a certain death after Israeli settlers set her family’s home on fire in the village of Urif, south of Nablus. pic.twitter.com/3DBcbfiWPJ
— Government Communication Center (@pal_gcc_en) July 25, 2026
Years of violence but no action taken
Urif village has been a frequent target of coordinated ‘Israeli’ settler violence, primarily originating from the nearby settlement of Yitzhar. The settlers living here are notorious for their frequent violent attacks on Palestinians and their property.
Their presence has not only transformed the daily life of Urif’s residents but also those living in other nearby villages such as Burin, Huwara and Madama.
Although the violence has been documented for more than a decade, no action has been taken against these terrorists.
According to organisations such as Yesh Din, the occupation grants de-facto immunity to the perpetrators of this violence. This serves a broader strategic policy to dispossess Palestinians and push them off their lands, so nearby settlements are able to expand.
The Israeli occupation — the government, the military, the police and the judiciary — greenlight this violence, of course.
Lana Shahada’s survival should not obscure the real story — that of a Palestinian baby who was nearly burned alive in her own home, in a village that for years has suffered repeated settler attacks.
Urif’s residents are living through a system that shields the attackers, normalises the violence, and leaves families to face the flames alone. There is an urgent need for accountability and justice.
Featured image via Shehab News Agency
By Charlie Jaay
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