Jewish hikers attacked after mistakenly entering Sa’ir village

A group of Israeli hikers traveling in the eastern Gush Etzion area mistakenly entered the Palestinian village of Sa'ir, where they were attacked with stones by dozens of local rioters. Security forces were dispatched to the scene to rescue the group. According to initial reports, a community security coordinator who arrived first was struck by a rock and opened fire in self-defense. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that Israeli civilians were injured in the incident and that the security official's gunfire resulted in Palestinian casualties. While Palestinian sources alleged that the group entered the village deliberately and set a fire, the IDF stated that firefighting crews were deployed to extinguish a blaze at a structure under construction. The IDF emphasized that the presence of Israeli civilians in such areas without prior authorization endangers lives and diverts military resources. An investigation into the incident is currently underway by the Judea and Samaria District Police.