Israel’s security agency has confirmed it arrested six members of a “Jewish terror cell” who carried out violence against Palestinians on the West Bank.

The Shin Bet said in a statement that the six settlers had confessed to “widespread terrorist activity, including attempted terrorist attacks on homes of Palestinians while the occupants were inside, attacking minorities, arson and vandal attacks”.

The group reportedly said it was “inspired” by the firebombing of a Palestinian home in the West Bank village of Duma last July, which killed three Palestinians, including a toddler.

According to Shin Bet, the terror cell included an Israeli soldier and two minors. They were connected to another group of Jewish extremists also recently arrested for carrying out attacks on Palestinians and Christian civilians.

Following the arrests, Rabbis for Human Rights said it was a “positive sign that the security forces are taking Jewish terrorism against Palestinians seriously”.

But the human rights group attacked Israeli authorities for “denying [the members] legal counsel”.