The Palestinian Foreign Ministry accused what it described as "Jewish terrorist elements" of setting fire to a house in the occupied West Bank on Sunday. However, Israeli police stated that the fire was an accident.
The fire, which occurred before dawn in the town of Sinjl, did not result in any injuries. The homeowner, Ahmad Awashra, whose house was severely damaged, said he woke up to the sound of a window shattering and was able to get his four children and wife out before the flames spread.
A resident of Sinjl, who requested anonymity, told Reuters that he saw cars "with Jewish settlers" nearby just minutes before the incident. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry accused "Jewish terrorist elements" of being behind the incident, but the Israeli police, which sent investigators to the scene, stated in a statement that the fire "was likely caused by an electrical short circuit and not an intentional act."
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry expressed that it "views this colonial, extremist, racist mentality, which ignites fires in the arena of conflict and does not hesitate to commit the most heinous crimes against defenseless Palestinian civilians in their homes, including children, women, the sick, and the elderly, with grave seriousness." Tensions have increased in the West Bank amid a rise in violence, including an armed attack on Saturday that injured two Israeli soldiers and nearly nightly Israeli military raids.
