Three Palestinians were killed in violent clashes with Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, according to Israeli military officials. The deaths occurred near the village of Khirbet Abu Falah, east of Ramallah.

The Israeli military said it responded to reports of settlers attacking Palestinians in the area. Two Palestinians died from gunfire and a third from suffocation, likely due to tear gas exposure. The victims were identified as cousins Fare' Hamayel and Thaer Hamayel, along with Mohammad Murra. All three were buried in a joint funeral.

A local resident who witnessed the incident told reporters that dozens of Israeli settlers approached the village from the north and opened fire when confronted by a village guard committee. The Israeli military has opened a criminal investigation into the settlers' actions and condemned the violence.

These deaths follow three other Palestinian fatalities in the West Bank last week, including two brothers killed by settlers in the northern region and one person killed by an Israeli reservist in the south Hebron Hills. Israeli rights group Yesh Din documented more than 50 incidents of settler violence against Palestinians in the first four days of the current regional conflict with Iran, which began February 28.

The violence occurs as Israel is engaged in military operations against Iran and Hezbollah. Israeli military officials emphasized that internal violence undermines regional security efforts. The Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of exploiting the war atmosphere to intensify pressure on Palestinian communities.

Movement restrictions implemented during the conflict have complicated emergency response efforts in the West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent reports approximately 1,100 checkpoints and gates now control movement between Palestinian towns, compared to about 800 during last year's conflict, creating obstacles for medical and emergency personnel responding to violent incidents.