'Israel' added 1,000 new barriers in occupied West Bank since 2023: WP
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Since October 2023, "Israel" has installed nearly 1,000 new checkpoints and barriers in the occupied West Bank, severely restricting Palestinian movement.
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A Palestinian man walks past a gate set up by Israeli occupation forces at the entrance of the occupied West Bank village of Sinjil, on September 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Since the launch of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, "Israel" has installed nearly 1,000 new military checkpoints, gates, and roadblocks throughout cities and towns in the occupied West Bank, severely restricting the movement of Palestinians and disrupting daily life, according to a Palestinian government body cited by the The Washington Post on Thursday.
The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, an official Palestinian agency, reported that 916 barriers have been erected across the West Bank since the beginning of the war on Gaza, in what residents are calling the most extensive clampdown on movement in years.
While "Israel" has enforced restrictions in the West Bank since its occupation began in 1967, the recent expansion marks an unprecedented level of control, residents say.
According to WP, the new barriers include metal gates at the entrances of towns and villages, as well as between cities, with the gates being manned by occupation forces. Residents say the openings are erratic, with some gates remaining closed for days, forcing Palestinians to walk long distances, stay with relatives, or abandon plans to move from one place to another altogether.
According to the United Nations, 18 gates were installed in the first two weeks of September alone. These include not only gates but large earth mounds and concrete blocks, often placed in the middle of roads to block vehicle access.
The UN warned these obstacles limit access to healthcare, education, and work, particularly as some of the gates now disconnect the northern and southern West Bank, turning short trips into hours-long detours for the region’s three million Palestinian residents, according to WP.
Daily life is under threat
Ezzedine Al-Sayouri, a gym owner from Deir Dibwan, said the restrictions have cut off his business entirely. “Under the current circumstances, everything has been cut off. Everything has stopped,” he said, adding that he is considering closing his gym and leaving the country altogether.
In the village of Aboud, residents report that the gate closes daily between 6 am and 9 am, making it nearly impossible for students to reach universities and workers their jobs. “It’s all part of the occupation’s strategy to destabilize the people’s sense of security,” said Mohammad Shalatweh, a local taxi driver.
Read next: 'The State of Gates'... Palestinians’ lives in the West Bank are suffocated by Israeli closures
Residents also express concern about the security implications of the barriers. In Sinjil, restaurant owner Eyad Jameel fears for his son's safety each time he travels to Ramallah, stressing, “They don’t always open them; they just close them and trap everyone."
Many gates are now equipped with surveillance cameras, adding another layer of control over Palestinian movement.
