The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) expresses alarm at the escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, which has intensified following the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
Israeli military operations and a surge in settler attacks have heightened insecurity, displacement, and severe restrictions on Palestinian freedom of movement. NRC urgently calls for measures to protect Palestinian civilians and ensure unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
The Israeli military operation ‘Iron Wall’, launched in the Jenin refugee camp and its surrounding area, has already resulted in significant humanitarian consequences, with airstrikes and ground incursions causing civilian casualties and widespread destruction. At least 12 Palestinians have been killed and 40 injured, including medical personnel, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
“We are seeing disturbing patterns of unlawful use of force in the West Bank that is unnecessary, indiscriminate, and disproportionate. This echoes the tactics Israeli forces have employed in Gaza,” said Angelita Caredda, NRC’s Middle East and North Africa regional director. “Under international law, Israel must bring its occupation of Palestinian territory to an end as rapidly as possible. Until then, it must fully comply with its obligations as an occupying power, including the protection of civilians.”
In addition, Israeli forces have increased checkpoints, roadblocks, and other physical barriers throughout the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem. These measures further fragment Palestinian communities, restrict access to essential services, and prevent humanitarian agencies, like NRC, from reaching the communities we serve.
The escalation coincides with the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to reassert control in Jenin, targeting armed groups. Israeli military and Palestinian authority operations have resulted in extensive damage to critical infrastructure, severe movement restrictions, and disruptions to essential services. As of 15 January, 75 per cent of Jenin’s 13,400 residents have been displaced, deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis.
This violence in the West Bank reflects a broader trend. In 2023, Israel resumed airstrikes in the West Bank for the first time since the Second Intifada. By 2024, it had carried out 152 airstrikes, 82 of them in densely populated refugee camps.
The latest surge follows a deadly 2024, during which Israeli forces and settlers killed 499 Palestinians in the West Bank. Israeli demolitions reached a record high, with 1,768 structures destroyed—50 per cent more than in 2023. A quarter of these demolitions occurred during military operations, primarily in northern refugee camps.
Settler violence also reached unprecedented levels in 2024, with 1,420 incidents causing casualties or property damage—a 16 per cent increase from the previous year. Five Palestinians were killed, and over 300 families were forcibly displaced as settlers attacked under the protection of Israeli forces.
“Impunity for serious violations of international law has allowed Israel to unlawfully escalate violence in the occupied West Bank,” said Caredda. “The international community must take decisive action to stop these violations and end the occupation.”
