Israel has positioned the occupied West Financial institution below lockdown, sealing the entrances of cities and villages with iron gates and concrete obstacles, as its forces bomb Iran.
The Israeli siege continued for a 3rd day on Sunday, because the navy intensifies its operations within the Palestinian territory, the place it has killed no less than 943 Palestinians, greater than 200 of them minors, in line with the United Nations, for the reason that battle on Gaza began on October 7, 2023.
Palestinians within the West Financial institution say the Israeli actions are aimed toward annexing their lands and increasing unlawful settlements. An estimated three million Palestinians stay below Israeli navy occupation within the West Financial institution.
Since January this 12 months, there have been ongoing Israeli operations in three refugee camps in Jenin and Tulkarem areas of the West Financial institution. A minimum of 137 Palestinians, together with 27 youngsters, have been killed this 12 months within the West Financial institution, in line with the UN.
However in current days, as Israel strikes Iran and the latter retaliates, the West Financial institution is below a lockdown.
Right here’s what it’s worthwhile to know:
What’s Israel doing?
The Israeli navy is making use of a lockdown.
Along with closing up cities and villages, it’s severely limiting the motion of Palestinians by establishing checkpoints, in line with Al Jazeera correspondent Nida Ibrahim, limiting entry and exit to areas.
The navy has elevated its presence within the West Financial institution cities like el-Bireh and Ramallah, in line with Wafa, the Palestinian information company. Strict checkpoints are additionally impeding motion in Nablus, Hebron, Qalqilya, and the Jordan Valley, the place the checkpoints have disrupted the work of farmers and the transport of their produce.
“The continuing closures have paralysed day by day life throughout the West Financial institution, severely limiting mobility, limiting entry to important providers, and impacting financial exercise,” Wafa reported.
Palestinians say makes an attempt to strategy the checkpoints have been met with stay hearth from Israeli troopers in some locations, whereas in others, stun grenades and tear fuel had been deployed.
There are quite a few experiences of accidents. Within the Tulkarem refugee camp, for instance, a 16-year-old was reportedly shot within the leg by Israeli forces. They’ve additionally carried out evening raids within the West Financial institution, arresting no less than 15 folks, in line with Wafa.
Ambulances are struggling to succeed in the wounded as their motion can also be being impeded.
“Even once we are granted Israeli navy permission to maneuver, we’re detained at checkpoints for 3 to 4 hours earlier than being allowed via,” stated Fayez Abdel Jabbar, an ambulance driver. “This [Saturday] morning, one lady stayed three hours at one checkpoint. The one manner we are able to operate now could be by transferring sufferers from one ambulance to a different at these checkpoints.”
Even earlier than the current Israeli motion, pregnant Palestinian women reported that checkpoints could possibly be a matter of “life and demise”.
In the meantime, in a number of areas throughout the West Financial institution, Israeli troopers have additionally expelled dozens of households from their houses and turned them into navy positions.
Why is the West Financial institution below siege?
Palestinians say it’s being achieved to manage them.
The Israeli authorities ramped up settlements and annexation of the West Financial institution and occupied East Jerusalem in 2024, in line with a report by the UN Human Rights Workplace in March this 12 months.
An Israeli poster describes the lockdown as preemptive, saying motion can be restricted till additional discover. It reads: “Terror solely brings demise and destruction.”
“Palestinians say they’re those below assault,” Ibrahim reported.
Qassim Awwad of the Palestine Liberation Group’s (PLO) settlement unit stated, since October 7, 2023, Israel has elevated the checkpoints and obstacles within the West Financial institution from 600 to 900. “Now they’re utilizing this time [war with Iran] to extend the lockdown on Palestinians, turning them into remoted cantons separated from each other,” he stated.
In the meantime, Israel on Sunday killed no less than 23 folks in Gaza, together with 11 waiting to get aid. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed 55,297 Palestinians and wounded 128,426 others, in line with Gaza’s Ministry of Well being.
What about settler violence?
It goes on.
“Settlers proceed attacking Palestinian houses and properties,” Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim reported. “Others exploit the siege to determine and increase new unlawful settlement outposts.”
Within the metropolis of Sderot final Thursday, Israeli cupboard ministers and the federal government’s coalition companions held a convention the place they pledged to annex the West Financial institution and the Gaza Strip, in line with Israeli media experiences.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi spoke in favour of annexation, whereas Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu reportedly referred to as out for a similar in Syria and Lebanon as nicely.
“Do we wish Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]? Do we wish Syria? Do we wish Lebanon? Do we wish Gaza?” Eliyahu reportedly shouted to a crowd that responded within the affirmative.
Are Iran’s retaliatory assaults affecting Palestinians?
The evening skies of Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan have been illuminated by the trade of missiles between Iran and Israel since Friday.
As Israel tries to shoot down the Iranian missiles, a few of their remnants have landed within the West Financial institution, the place, not like Israel, the residents don’t have any entry to bomb shelters or safety. Dozens of Palestinians within the territory have been wounded by intercepted missiles.
“Palestinians say they’re caught between the Iranian projectiles and Israeli missiles intercepting them,” Ibrahim stated.
What’s the PLO doing?
“The Palestinian authorities says it’s working to make sure the entry of meals and gasoline,” Ibrahim added. “With Israel controlling nearly each facet of their lives, Palestinians concern their governments’ capacity to help them is severely restricted.”
Many of the international consideration in the previous couple of days has been on the trade of strikes between Israel and Iran.
However UNRWA, the UN company centered on Palestinian refugees, stated in a press release on Friday that the West Financial institution is “not a warzone”.
“It’s ruled by worldwide requirements and codes of conduct for legislation enforcement, which Israeli forces have an obligation to uphold. Regulation enforcement exists for the aim of safeguarding human rights, not violating them. It ought to search to guard essentially the most susceptible, not additional victimise them. Above all, it ought to protect human dignity and life,” Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA affairs within the West Financial institution, posted on X.
For the previous months, the northern #WestBank has witnessed an uninterrupted stream of mass demolitions by Israeli Safety Forces, and orders making an attempt to justify them. On 9 June, one more demolition order was issued: this time for Jenin Camp, the place an identical order was introduced…
— Roland Friedrich (@GRFriedrich) June 10, 2025
