An Israeli army official said Monday that the Israeli military considers Sunday night’s attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank as “terrorist acts.”

“Last night there was a retaliatory activity by the residents of the area,” the official added. “I wanted to say that we view these acts as acts of terrorism, as violent riots,” said the official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the situation.

At least one Palestinian was killed and a crowd of about 50 Palestinian settlers stoned and other Palestinians injured with stones or metal bars, Palestinian medical officials said Sunday, which they blamed on Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

The attacks followed the shooting of two Israeli brothers in the West Bank town of Huwwara earlier in the day.

“It was a terrible night,” said the Israeli army official.

The official said that the reason the Israeli army sent three additional battalions to the area was to separate the Palestinians from the Israelis.

“More troops will calm the situation,” he added. “This morning we sent another Givati ​​[reconnaissance] battalion — the Givati ​​Special Forces Battalion — to the area as well as two border patrol companies, mainly in an effort to de-escalate and keep the two sides separate.”