West Bank feels the heat as Gaza endures Israeli bombing for 2 months

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Besides pummeling the besieged Gaza Strip with relentless bombing since Oct. 7, the Israeli army intensified its military campaign against the occupied West Bank, killing and arresting hundreds of Palestinians.

According to Anadolu reporters, the Israeli army turned all the West Bank into a "battlefield" through its daily incursions, erecting military checkpoints to cut the connectivity between the Palestinian areas and hindering the Palestinians' movement.

On the other hand, the Israeli army also supported Israeli settlers in their violence against Palestinian farmers, and in many cases the settlers attacked and opened fire, killing and injuring several Palestinians.

As the Israeli war on Gaza completes two months, the number of Palestinians killed and injured in the West Bank keeps increasing daily.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said on Tuesday the total death toll of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank since the start of the year has risen to 469.

- Settlers’ assaults

Since Oct. 7, the Israeli settlers carried out around 610 assaults across the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, according to a statement by the official Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission.

The violence by Israeli settlers included opening direct fire on Palestinians, attacking their properties and farmlands, and throwing rocks at Palestinians’ vehicles as well as setting Palestinian cars and homes on fire.

Palestinian official estimates say the settlers' violence forced at least 143 Palestinian families, comprising 1,014 individuals, to leave their homes located in the Israeli army-controlled areas of the West Bank.

- Detentions

As the Israeli army carries out raids across the West Bank, over 3,580 Palestinians have been detained since Oct. 7.

According to Palestinian official estimates, the Israeli authorities hold a total of 7,800 Palestinians in jails as of the end of November, including 33 women, 166 children, and 2,873 others held under the administrative detention policy without any charges or trials.

At least six Palestinian detainees have been killed in Israeli jails due to torture since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian groups, including the Palestinian Prisoners Society NGO.

- Blockade

After Oct. 7, the Israeli army blockaded the West Bank by erecting military checkpoints and disconnecting access to several areas.

Anadolu reporters report that Palestinians are forced to use alternative rural and unpaved routes to reach their destinations.

Under this situation, a Palestinian who used to travel from Nablus city to Ramallah city in less than 40 minutes before Oct. 7 now needs around two hours for such a trip.

- Onslaught on Gaza

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Palestinian territory on Friday after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.

At least 16,248 Palestinians have been killed and more than 43,616 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara