Gaza isn’t alone: West Bank suffers in shadow of ongoing Israeli war
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Israeli raids in the West Bank escalate, leaving hundreds of Palestinians dead and tens of thousands displaced.
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Residents of the West Bank's refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli occupation forces continue their attacks in the area on February 26, 2025. (AP)
An Associated Press (AP) report on Monday shed light on the devastating conditions Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are facing, as Israeli military attacks escalate amid global focus on Gaza.
According to data from the UN humanitarian office and Peace Now, most Palestinians killed in the West Bank were shot during raids on villages and towns, as cited in the report.
Palestinian deaths from Israeli fire surged, while the Israeli occupation claims these operations aim to "combat militancy", however, Palestinians and rights groups report that many civilians, including at least 182 children under 18, have been killed.
Such a reality prompted rights organizations to accuse the Israeli occupation of using excessive force.
The latest example was reported two days ago, when the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that 12-year-old Mahmoud Mithqal Ali Abu al-Hayja was martyred after succumbing to his wounds sustained by gunfire after the Israeli occupation forces shot him in the town of al-Yamun, west of Jenin.
A video circulated on social media showed the 12-year-old child running with a group of children before being executed in cold blood by an Israeli sniper.
أعدم جيش الاحتلال الإسرائيلي قنصًا الطفل محمود أبو الهيجا (12 عامًا) غرب جنين في الضفة الغربية . pic.twitter.com/w6n6A1FaZM
— Tamer | تامر (@tamerqdh) April 23, 2025
Mass displacement from refugee camps
A large-scale offensive has displaced approximately 40,000 Palestinians from four major refugee camps in the northern West Bank. While many now shelter with relatives or rent homes under financial strain, Israeli officials have stated that these displaced Palestinians will not be allowed to return for at least a year.
The AP report stresses that the Israeli occupation forces have destroyed infrastructure, demolished hundreds of homes, and resumed drone strikes in densely populated areas, causing further civilian suffering.
Daily settler attacks on Palestinians
Moreover, settler attacks on Palestinians have intensified, with near-daily incidents causing injury and death, particularly in small Bedouin villages under full Israeli control, according to the report, which added that settlers, encouraged by the Israeli occupation's pro-settler stance, have established new unauthorized outposts.
While the Israeli occupation claims it opposes settler violence, the army continues to protect the settlers, viewing the attacks as part of a broader strategy to expel Palestinians from their land.
Israeli settlements, outposts expand
Since the war began, settlers established 80 new outposts, often populated by extremist settlers, while rights groups identified these outposts as central to the violence against Palestinians.
The report detailed that the Israeli occupation, led by settler supporters, formalized 13 new settlements, five of which began as outposts, raising the total to 140. Most of the international community considers these settlements illegal, even though Trump supported them.
Palestinian movement across the West Bank has become increasingly restricted, while new checkpoints have fragmented the territory, and crossings once open 24/7 now close during rush hours, severely disrupting daily life.
As the war on Gaza continues, Palestinians in the West Bank report worsening conditions and increased hardship.
