CrossFireArabia
In the first half of 2024, there has been a severe escalation of violence and human rights violations in the West Bank reports the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers, with over 1,000 displaced and nearly 160,000 adversely affected by demolitions.
The West Bank has experienced a significant surge in violence, resulting in 228 Palestinian fatalities, including 51 children, marking a 65 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023. In five instances, it could not be determined whether the killings were committed by Israeli forces or by settlers.
“The data indicates that Israeli forces are deploying unwarranted use of lethal force against Palestinian civilians,” said Ana Povrzenic, NRC’s country director in Palestine. “We cannot separate the worsening conditions in the West Bank from the actions of senior Israeli officials aimed to establish sovereignty over the West Bank, in violation of international law.”
The number of search and arrest operations conducted by Israeli forces in the West Bank nearly doubled, rising to 3,384 in the first half of 2024 from 1,873 in the same period in 2023. Israeli authorities have intensified raids, particularly in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams refugee camps, utilising military tactics and heavy weaponry against civilians, including airstrikes. These operations have led to the destruction of 81 structures and the displacement of 499 Palestinians in these areas alone.
“The Israeli army did not differentiate between a stone, a tree, or a human being,” said Nihaya al-Jundi, a resident of Nur Shams camp, where 242 Palestinians were displaced, and a youth centre, a kindergarten, and a multi-purpose hall were destroyed. “No person and no home are safe, not even those with the elderly, people with disabilities, or children.”
Israel’s unlawful demolition of Palestinian property has reached unprecedented levels. By 30 June 2024, 643 Palestinian structures had been destroyed, marking a 42 per cent increase from the same period in 2023. In most of these cases, Israel reports the structures lack Israeli-issued building permits, which are virtually impossible for Palestinians to obtain.
Settler attacks have also climbed, with 649 incidents recorded in the first half of 2024, compared to 598 in 2023. In Duma, a multi-hour settler attack on 13 April resulted in the destruction of homes and livelihood structures, Izzat Dawabshe, a Duma resident, described the event: “Anyone who defended himself in any way was shot or detained.”
Settlers destroyed four homes and damaged or burned 31 others during the attack on Duma. Settlers completely burned a dozen livelihood structures and damaged or burned three others.
“While some states have imposed sanctions against individual violent settlers, this has had limited impact in reducing rates of violence,” said Povrzenic. “States must do more to hold the state of Israel, its central and local governments, and security forces – not just individual offenders – accountable for grave breaches of international law.”
This article is reprinted from reliefweb
