In the aftermath of a tenuous ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israel has initiated a significant military campaign in the occupied West Bank, accompanied by suspected Jewish settlers engaging in violent acts against two Palestinian towns. This escalation of hostilities coincides with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing mounting pressures from his far-right allies after agreeing to the ceasefire and a prisoner swap with the Hamas militant group. Additionally, U.S. President Donald Trump has revoked the Biden administration’s sanctions on Israelis accused of violent actions in the contested territory.
This situation creates a volatile environment that jeopardizes the fragile ceasefire, which is intended to last for at least six weeks and aims to facilitate the release of numerous hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the majority of whom will be sent to the West Bank. Israel has controlled the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Middle East war, and Palestinians aspire to establish their future state across these regions. Escalations in one area often lead to repercussions in others, heightening fears that negotiations for the second, more challenging phase of the Gaza ceasefire may never materialize.
In a violent episode, dozens of masked individuals attacked two Palestinian villages in northern West Bank late on Monday, throwing stones and igniting vehicles and property, according to local Palestinian officials. The Red Crescent emergency services reported that at least 12 individuals suffered injuries from beatings. Concurrently, Israeli forces conducted a military raid in a different part of the West Bank, citing attacks involving firebombs on Israeli vehicles as a reason for their actions. Several suspects were reportedly apprehended, with videos circulating online showing groups being marched through the streets.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military intensified operations in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, a place where clashes with Palestinian militants have been common for years, especially after Hamas’s assault on October 7, 2023. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that at least nine Palestinians were killed, including a 16-year-old, and around 40 others were injured. The military claimed to have executed airstrikes, dismantled roadside explosives, and targeted multiple militants, but the specifics of these operations remained unclear. Residents in the area reported an increase in Israeli checkpoints and significant delays across the territory.
Israel argues that threats from the West Bank against its citizens are increasing. Earlier in the month, gunfire from Palestinian attackers resulted in the deaths of three Israelis, two of whom were elderly women. This incident prompted settler leaders to call for firmer action in the territory. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz framed the Jenin operation as part of a broader campaign against Iran and its affiliates in the region, stating, “we will strike the octopus’ arms until they snap.” Meanwhile, Palestinians perceive such military actions and settlement expansions as methods to solidify Israeli authority over an area where about three million Palestinians live under prolonged military control, managed with the assistance of the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.
Prominent human rights organizations have labeled the situation as a form of apartheid, pointing out that over 500,000 Jewish settlers in the occupied territories enjoy full Israeli citizenship rights, a claim that Israel denies vehemently. Netanyahu is currently attempting to quell discontent among his ultranationalist coalition partners following the truce agreement, which stipulates a pullout of Israeli forces from most of Gaza and the release of numerous Palestinian detainees, including those convicted of serious offenses, in exchange for hostages taken during the October attack.
One coalition partner, Itamar Ben-Gvir, resigned in protest immediately after the ceasefire began, while another, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has threatened to leave the coalition if a military campaign does not resume after the ceasefire’s initial phase concludes in early March. Their agenda includes the annexation of the West Bank and the revitalization of Gaza settlements, alongside promoting what they term the voluntary migration of many Palestinians. Although Netanyahu retains a parliamentary majority despite Ben-Gvir’s exit, losing Smotrich — who also governs the West Bank de facto — would significantly weaken his coalition and could lead to earlier elections. Such a scenario could jeopardize Netanyahu’s long-standing leadership, exposing him to ongoing corruption charges and a forthcoming investigation into failures related to the October attack.
The recent return of Trump to the White House could present a potential advantage for Netanyahu. The newly inaugurated president has built a team that supports Israeli settlements, with many believing in the settlers’ historical claims to the West Bank due to ancient Jewish kingdoms. However, the international community largely views these settlements as illegal. On his first day back, Trump signed an executive order eliminating the Biden administration’s sanctions against settlers and Jewish extremists accused of violence against Palestinians. Although these sanctions had minimal impact, they represented one of the few assertive moves the Biden administration took against its closely allied country, even as the U.S. continued to provide substantial military aid to Israel during its ongoing conflict in Gaza, described as one of the deadliest in recent history.
Trump took credit for advancing the Gaza ceasefire during his final days in office but expressed skepticism about its longevity, indicating a willingness to grant Israel latitude to act in Gaza, remarking, “It’s not our war, it’s their war.”
