Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip have intensified over recent months, with reports documenting widespread displacement, infrastructure destruction, and a mounting civilian death toll.
Between October 7, 2023, and February 24, 2025, nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to data from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Media Observatory on Israeli Crimes. The violence has been compounded by aggressive settlement expansion, systematic land confiscations, and daily raids on Palestinian communities, deepening fears of annexation and fragmentation in the region.
In the northern West Bank, Israeli forces evacuated three refugee camps in Jenin and Tulkarm, bulldozing streets, uprooting olive groves, and damaging infrastructure. In Qabatiya, troops tore through the facade of a Bank of Jordan branch, while in Nahalin, agricultural lands were razed. Such tactics, critics argue, align with long-standing accusations of Israel using military operations to clear areas for settlement growth. During a single week in late February 2025 alone, 69 Palestinians were killed, including 10 in Gaza amid alleged breaches of a fragile ceasefire. Over 50 bodies were recovered from rubble in Gaza, underscoring the lingering humanitarian toll of the conflict.
Settlement activity has surged, with 1,047 new units approved in the West Bank. Authorities announced plans to expand the Etz Ephraim and Efrat settlements, seizing over 600 dunams (148 acres) of Palestinian land. Meanwhile, settlers established new outposts in the Jordan Valley and Hebron, often blocking Palestinian farmers from accessing their lands. In one incident, settlers in As-Samu barred landowners from reaching their fields, a move locals described as a land grab. The OIC reported 42 settler raids in a single week, including attacks on livestock, arson of vehicles, and theft of antiquities. Over 550 sheep and horses were stolen, while agricultural equipment and water pumps critical to irrigation were destroyed.
Religious and cultural sites have also faced repeated violations. Israeli extremists conducted daily incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards, while troops disrupted prayers at a mosque in Burqa, interrogating worshippers. In Hebron, students and teachers at the Ibrahimiyya School were barred from entering the premises for days, part of a broader crackdown on education. Five UNRWA schools were raided and shuttered, with staff detained and students forcibly evacuated. At the Qalandia Vocational Training Institute, Israeli forces issued an evacuation order, threatening the education of hundreds of refugees.
Demolitions of Palestinian homes and structures have accelerated, with 74 buildings destroyed in February 2025. Military bulldozers leveled 41 homes across Jerusalem, Salfit, and other cities, while settlers burned five residences. Agricultural rooms, barns, and commercial shops were also targeted, crippling livelihoods. In Duma, demolition warnings were issued for 25 farming structures, signaling further displacement.
The OIC’s report highlights a staggering 1,315 documented Israeli violations in just seven days—a figure encompassing killings, arrests, property seizures, and settlement activity. Over 198 Palestinians were detained in the West Bank during this period, adding to the thousands incarcerated since October 2023.
Analysts warn that the rapid expansion of settlements, coupled with forced evacuations and military closures, reflects a strategic effort to sever Palestinian territorial continuity in the West Bank. Such actions, they note, directly contravene international law, which prohibits the annexation of occupied territory. With peace talks stagnant and violence escalating, the prospect of a viable Palestinian state grows increasingly distant.
As casualties mount and settlements encroach further into Palestinian land, the human cost of the conflict continues to spiral. For many, the daily reality of checkpoints, raids, and displacement has become a relentless cycle—one with no clear end in sight.
