Ben-Gvir expands firearm license eligibility to 11 West Bank settlements, drawing Hamas condemnation

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has approved an expansion of firearm license eligibility to residents of 11 Israeli settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank, prompting condemnation from Hamas amid escalating settler violence against Palestinians. According to Israel’s Channel 14, the decision adds 11 settlements and outposts in the northern West Bank to the list of locations whose residents are eligible to apply for firearm permits. The measure is intended to strengthen security preparedness within the settlements by allowing eligible residents to apply for licenses to carry firearms. In a statement issued Thursday, Hamas condemned the decision, describing it as an “explicit call for killing and displacement” of Palestinians. READ: Two Palestinians injured in settler attack as women detained […]