SINJIL, West Bank (AP) — As darkness fell over the town of Sinjil in the occupied West Bank, its Palestinian residents gathered on a roadside overlooking a nearby valley. Together, they scanned the area with flashlights, searching for any signs that Israeli settlers might be approaching.
The residents are part of a volunteer night watch in Sinjil, about 15 kilometers (10 miles) northeast of Ramallah, where Palestinians say they face frequent settler attacks. When someone spots a group of settlers, they alert others by phone, mobilizing additional residents to the area to confront and push the settlers back.
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Palestinians run for cover after shots are fired during an Israeli settler attack on the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Palestinians sit next to the bonfire as they take part in a night watch to prevent Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a flashlight as he takes part in a night watch to protect their village against Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a flashlight after spotting the presence of Israeli settlers on a hill as he takes part in a night watch with other volunteers to guard against settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers, top, and Palestinians clash as brush burns along a roadside after Palestinians set it ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a slingshot during clashes with Israeli settlers as brush burns after it was set ablaze to prevent them from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers throw stones as brush burns along a roadside after Palestinians set it ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian stands next to a fire after brush was set ablaze on the roadside to prevent an Israeli settler attack in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers, top, and Palestinians clash as brush burns along a roadside after Palestinians set it ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers throw stones toward Palestinians as brush burns along a roadside after it was set ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a slingshot during clashes with Israeli settlers as brush burns after it was set ablaze to prevent them from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers use slingshots to hurl stones as brush burns along a roadside after Palestinians set it ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Palestinians use flashlights after spotting the presence of Israeli settlers on a hill as they take part in a night watch to protect their West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Palestinians sit next to the bonfire as they take part in a night watch to guard against Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a flashlight after spotting Israeli settlers on a nearby hill while taking part in a night watch with other volunteers to guard against settler attacks on the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Palestinians sit next to the bonfire as they take part in a night watch to prevent Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a flashlight after volunteers taking part in a night watch spotted Israeli settlers on a nearby hill and set brush ablaze to prevent them from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
On this night, the volunteer watchmen saw a group of masked settlers descending from hillside toward the town. When others from Sinjil joined to protect the area, some set the brush by the roadside ablaze, in an effort to block their advance.
Settlers threw stones and used slingshots to launch objects at Palestinian residents, who responded in kind.
The sound of gunfire later sent residents running for cover.
“This is another episode in the series of settlers’ attacks against Sinjil,” Mayor Moataz Tawafsha said.
Violence in the West Bank has surged since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, 2023, with an increase in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and repeated Israeli military raids.
For those who live in Sinjil, the nightly watches have become a part of daily life, with no government or security force willing to protect them.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Palestinians run for cover after shots are fired during an Israeli settler attack on the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Palestinians sit next to the bonfire as they take part in a night watch to prevent Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a flashlight as he takes part in a night watch to protect their village against Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a flashlight after spotting the presence of Israeli settlers on a hill as he takes part in a night watch with other volunteers to guard against settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers, top, and Palestinians clash as brush burns along a roadside after Palestinians set it ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a slingshot during clashes with Israeli settlers as brush burns after it was set ablaze to prevent them from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers throw stones as brush burns along a roadside after Palestinians set it ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian stands next to a fire after brush was set ablaze on the roadside to prevent an Israeli settler attack in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers, top, and Palestinians clash as brush burns along a roadside after Palestinians set it ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers throw stones toward Palestinians as brush burns along a roadside after it was set ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a slingshot during clashes with Israeli settlers as brush burns after it was set ablaze to prevent them from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli settlers use slingshots to hurl stones as brush burns along a roadside after Palestinians set it ablaze to prevent the settlers from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Palestinians use flashlights after spotting the presence of Israeli settlers on a hill as they take part in a night watch to protect their West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Palestinians sit next to the bonfire as they take part in a night watch to guard against Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a flashlight after spotting Israeli settlers on a nearby hill while taking part in a night watch with other volunteers to guard against settler attacks on the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Palestinians sit next to the bonfire as they take part in a night watch to prevent Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A Palestinian uses a flashlight after volunteers taking part in a night watch spotted Israeli settlers on a nearby hill and set brush ablaze to prevent them from approaching the West Bank village of Sinjil, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
