Israeli Forces Fire Teargas at Palestinian Schoolchildren During West Bank Sit-In
Israeli military forces have fired teargas at Palestinian schoolchildren who were staging a sit-in protest in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred after Israeli settlers blocked access to the children's school, preventing them from attending their first day of classes in over 40 days.
First Day Back at School Disrupted by Settler Blockade
The confrontation took place in the small village of Umm al-Khair, located in the southern West Bank region of Masafer Yatta. Schoolchildren had been scheduled to return to class on Monday for the first time since lessons were suspended due to the Israeli-US attack on Iran on February 28th. However, their return was abruptly halted when settlers from the nearby Carmel settlement erected a barbed wire fence, cutting off the road leading to the school.
In response, a group of schoolchildren and Palestinian residents gathered near the fence to hold an open-air class as a form of sit-in protest, demanding access to their educational facility. Witnesses reported that Israeli troops arrived at the scene and fired teargas canisters directly at the children, causing panic and fear among the young students.
Children's Testimonies Reveal Trauma and Fear
"We were sitting and they threw a grenade [teargas canister] at us. I got scared and started screaming and ran away," said 12-year-old Sarah al-Hathaleen, describing the traumatic experience. "I started crying. A woman hugged me and stayed with me. We were very scared."
Another student, 11-year-old Rashid al-Hathaleen, expressed disappointment about the disrupted school day: "Last night we were excited for school today. The Israelis came and closed the road with barbed wire ... we want to be back in school."
Education Official Confirms Sit-In Was Peaceful Protest
Bassam Jabr, the director of education for the Masafer Yatta area, confirmed that the children were engaged in a peaceful sit-in at the time of the incident. "Settlers are trying to tighten the noose on us in every way. One of these methods is cutting off the road for school students and expanding the settlement," Jabr explained regarding the settlers' actions.
He added with determination: "Sadly, there are no solutions. We will continue this sit-in today and tomorrow until we find a solution so the students can return to their schools."
Israeli Military Response and Regional Context
The Israeli military issued a statement acknowledging that troops had been dispatched to the area. "IDF soldiers were dispatched to the area of Umm al-Khair due to reports of an unusual gathering of Palestinians in the area," the military stated. "The gathering was dispersed and no injuries were reported."
However, Agence France-Presse footage clearly showed teargas canisters being fired toward the children, with audible screams as they fled the area. The Masafer Yatta region has long been a hotspot for settler violence and Palestinian home demolitions, with tensions escalating significantly since the outbreak of the Iran war.
This incident follows the killing of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen in Umm al-Khair village in August 2025. Settler violence has surged across the West Bank in recent months, creating an increasingly dangerous environment for Palestinian communities. Currently, more than 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements that are considered illegal under international law, alongside approximately 3 million Palestinian residents in the territory that Israel has occupied since 1967.
