DAYR ISTIYA, Palestinian Territories — The Palestinian Authority said Thursday that Israeli soldiers had killed two 15-year-olds in the occupied West Bank, while Israel called them "terrorists" attempting to carry out an attack.

 

Settler violence has surged in recent weeks across the West Bank, drawing international condemnation and even rare criticism from within the Israeli military and government.

 

The deaths came as Israel said it had received the body of one of the last four hostages held in Gaza from the Red Cross on Thursday as part of the ceasefire deal with Hamas.

 

It later said forensics experts had confirmed the body was that of Meny Godard, killed at age 73 the day of the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.

 

Meanwhile, the Ramallah-based Palestinian foreign ministry said Israeli settlers set ablaze the Hajja Hamida mosque near the town of Deir Istiya in the north.

 

"This blatantly violates the sanctity of places of worship and reflects the deep-rooted racism driving settlers under the protection of the occupying government," the ministry said.

 

AFP photographs from the scene showed burned copies of the Koran and walls blackened by smoke, and graffiti on a wall of the mosque.

 

'Red line'

 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, with his spokesman saying that "such acts of violence and desecration of religious sites are unacceptable".

 

"Such incidents are part of an increasing pattern of extremist violence that is inflaming tensions and must stop immediately," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

 

Thursday's arson attack came a day after the Israeli army chief pledged to halt settler violence.

 

"We are aware of the recent violent incidents in which Israeli civilians attacked Palestinians and Israelis. I strongly condemn them," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a statement.

 

"These acts contradict our values, cross a red line and divert the attention of our troops from their mission," he said.

 

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, where more than 500,000 Israelis now live in settlements.

 

A minority of these Israelis engage in violence against Palestinians, who complain that Israeli forces usually do not arrest settlers.

 

All settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.

 

Earlier this month, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that October 2025 was the worst month for settler violence since it began recording in 2006, with at least 264 attacks that caused casualties or property damage.

 

Almost none of the perpetrators have been held to account by the Israeli authorities.

 

Violence has surged across the West Bank since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023.

 

At least 1,003 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the war started, according to the Palestinian health ministry.