West Bank Escalation

Israeli army besieges Palestinian homes in occupied West Bank

Israeli troops have raided the village of Qusra, south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank. Israeli settlers encircle Palestinian homes and cut off supplies, leading to a declaration of a military zone. Israel's transfer of West Bank policing to civilian forces cements de facto annexation and empowers settler militias. Palestine’s vice-president calls plan ‘flagrant violation of international law’ and a step towards full Israeli annexation Israel’s defence minister wants to transfer law enforcement powers for Israelis in the occupied West Bank over to the police, a plan that Palestine’s vice-

WOR is monitoring the West Bank conflict across all monitored international sources. Severity scoring updates every 5 minutes as new reporting arrives. For full background on this conflict, see the conflict profile below.

CONFLICT BACKGROUND

The West Bank has seen a dramatic escalation of violence since October 2023 running parallel to — but distinct from — the Gaza conflict. Large-scale IDF military operations in the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps have involved armored vehicles, airstrikes, and weeks-long sieges. Settler violence against Palestinian communities has surged to record levels. The Palestinian Authority has lost effective control over large parts of the northern West Bank. Armed groups including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hamas's West Bank network, and the Jenin Brigades have significantly expanded their military capacity. The IDF has conducted near-daily raids across all major West Bank cities.

ACTIVE PARTIES

• Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
• Israeli settlers (organized militia elements)
• Palestinian Authority Security Forces
• Jenin Brigades
• Palestinian Islamic Jihad
• Hamas West Bank network

COUNTRY IMPACT

RECENT DISPATCHES