West Bank · 16 August, 2026 · 3 min read
Israeli Settlers Shoot Palestinian Nurse Muhammad Mutoor in Sa'ir, Leaving Him Partially Paralyzed
Palestinian nurse shot by Israeli settlers in Sa'ir near Hebron. Injuries left him permanently paralyzed, severing his spinal cord.
All outlets broadly agree on the Sa'ir shooting.
5 of 6 outlets skipped it: IDF temporarily relocated families in Qusra siege but later blocked departures.
Arab News was read line by line by the Watchdog: 2.4. See the score →
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Middle East Eye
“Ambulances were unable to reach Muhammad because settlers had blocked access to the area”Read the original ↗
International Business Times
“The nursing association said Saturday that Mutawwar has been permanently paralyzed”Read the original ↗
One outlet stresses access obstruction and assault intent; others stress injury and institutional response.
Sa'ir nurse shot
Israeli settlers shot and partially paralysed Palestinian nurse Muhammad Mutoor, 26, in Sa'ir, a town northeast of Hebron, after a settler attack left his spinal cord severed, according to Middle East Eye. MKhalil Mutoor told Middle East Eye that settlers “They aimed to kill, and they didn't care about anything,” describing live ammunition fired randomly and a bullet striking Muhammad in the back. The Times of Israel reported that in Qusra, south of Nablus, IDF soldiers were stationed outside Palestinian homes that had been besieged since August 9, blocking occupants from leaving while attempting to prevent settlers from returning.
The Times of Israel said Yusuf Hassan feared that as soon as IDF troops leave the area, settlers would return and once again block the homes. Middle East Eye said ambulances were unable to reach Muhammad because settlers had blocked access to the area after establishing a new outpost in the al-Adisa neighbourhood in Sa'ir, and residents drove him to Bani Na'im before he was transferred to hospital.M
Voices and competing frames
Middle East Eye quoted Khalil Mutoor saying, “They were firing live ammunition randomly and had climbed onto the hill adjacent to the houses, aiming their weapons at the residents.” MThe Times of Israel said Yusuf Hassan told the outlet that soldiers had prohibited him from leaving his home due to a closed military zone order issued for the area, essentially leaving the siege in place. The Times of Israel reported that United Nations representatives arrived at homes Sunday, bringing residents food and water, but security forces did not allow a water tanker to remain at the site.
The Times of Israel also noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had remained silent since settlers first began besieging the homes, while US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the settlers behind it on Thursday as “Israeli terrorists.” Middle East Eye described an escalation in army-protected settler violence across the occupied West Bank, with Hebron one of the main targets, and said around 1,800 Palestinians live in al-Adisa where the attack took place.M
What comes next
Middle East Eye said Muhammad was preparing to transfer to Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem for further consultations, despite doctors giving little hope that he will regain function in his lower limbs because of the severity of the injury. MMiddle East Eye reported that Muhammad recently built a house in the area and had planned to marry and settle there, but his uncle said those plans had been shattered and his future was uncertain. MThe Times of Israel said for the past three days, soldiers have been staying in a building next to one of the besieged homes to keep settlers from returning, though it’s unclear to what extent they have truly kept away.
The Times of Israel reported that an outpost called Tel Talpiot was established in the past few months several hundred meters above the homes, and Palestinians say attacks on homes in the area were launched from the outpost even before settlers began blocking the homes. Middle East Eye said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) documented more than 1,330 settler attacks resulting in casualties or property damage across 250 Palestinian communities since the beginning of 2026, as of 20 July.M