Tensions around Jerusalem reached a boiling point over the weekend, as within roughly 12 hours clashes broke out between settlers and local residents near the Beit Safafa neighborhood in the southeast of the city, and between Palestinian rioters and security forces in the Kalandia camp north of Jerusalem. In three separate incidents, three Palestinians were killed.
How did the violence unfold in Kalandia?
The first incident occurred early Friday morning in the Kalandia camp. IDF forces entered the camp for what was described as a routine operational activity, during which local youths began throwing stones at them, sparking a disturbance. The forces used crowd-control measures, including tear gas, and when they felt their lives were in danger, opened live fire at individuals identified as key instigators. A 22-year-old man, Mustafa Asaad Mustafa Hamad, was critically wounded, evacuated to a hospital in Ramallah, and later died of his injuries. Three other young men were injured, one of them detained.
Hours later, Hamad’s funeral took place in the camp and turned into a charged nationalist procession. His body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag, and hundreds attended, chanting nationalist slogans. During the funeral, IDF forces did not intervene and allowed it to proceed. After the funeral, forces moved in to disperse the crowd, and another violent disturbance developed. Once again, live fire was used, resulting in the death of another man, Sofyan Abu Lil, about 46, while several others were injured.
An IDF spokesperson said regarding the incidents in Kalandia: “In two separate events over the past day, IDF forces conducted operational activity in the Kalandia area in the Binyamin Brigade. During the activity, violent disturbances developed, including stone-throwing at the forces. The troops responded with fire toward key instigators, and hits were identified. No injuries were reported among our forces.”
لقطات جديدة من تشجيع جثمان الشهيد مصطفى حمد ونقله من منزله إلى الجامع الكبير للصلاة عليه قبل تشييعه إلى مثواه الأخير في مخيم شمال القدس المحتلة. pic.twitter.com/PMD1LCaUF3
— القسطل الإخباري (@AlQastalps) March 27, 2026
What happened near Beit Safafa in southern Jerusalem?
A few hours after the first incident in Kalandia, another confrontation took place on the other side of Jerusalem, near the Beit Safafa neighborhood. According to Palestinian sources, around 12 settlers arrived overnight with a tractor to the area of the Palestinian village of Harmala, near the Sharafat area, which is part of Beit Safafa in southeast Jerusalem. The settlers began preparing the ground for an illegal outpost on privately owned Palestinian land belonging to the al-Malhi family, which claims ownership going back around 150 years.
Family members confronted the settlers and called security forces. When forces arrived, the settlers left the area but returned shortly after. Another violent clash developed between the sides, during which one of the settlers opened live fire, killing Muhammad Farij al-Malhi.
Unlike Hamad’s funeral, al-Malhi’s funeral in the Sharafat area, attended by dozens, passed relatively quietly and without nationalist displays.
An IDF spokesperson said regarding this incident: “Security forces were dispatched earlier today to the Harmala area in the Etzion Brigade following a report of friction between Israeli civilians and Palestinians. During the night, an illegal outpost was established on privately owned Palestinian land, which was evacuated earlier today and then reestablished unlawfully. During the confrontation, an Israeli civilian fired toward people in the area. As a result of the shooting, an East Jerusalem resident was killed and three others were injured. The Judea and Samaria District Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances. Upon arrival, the forces acted to disperse the friction and evacuate and treat the injured.”
