January 24, 2025

With a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel turns its arms to the West Bank

topic:	Political violence
located:	Israel, Palestine
editor:	Chermaine Lee

Celebrations and relief filled the ruins in Gaza and streets in Israel when Israel and Hamas finally struck a ceasefire deal that began on January 19th: the over 15-month war seems to have finally taken a break, as three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners were exchanged on the same day.

While concerns grow over Israel potentially resuming what rights activists describe as genocide in Gaza after the six-week first phase of the deal, violence in the West Bank—a much less reported Palestinian warzone—has intensified, according to the UN.

Almost a juxtaposition with the clear sky in Gaza is smoke from Israeli airstrikes in the West Bank. Palestinians in the West Bank have been injured and suffered more restrictions on movement as the IDF built new gates to confine communities, burned houses and vehicles, and threw stones - all within a day after ceasefire in Gaza began. They even detained Palestinian journalists who covered the release of prisoners from the deal. 

Is this what a ceasefire should look like? A Jerusalem-based human rights NGO said on social media: B’Tselem accused the Netanyahu government of using the deal as “an excuse and opportunity to ratchet up the oppression of West Bank Palestinians.” Fear of expanding the genocide in Gaza into the West Bank has spread, warned Francescas Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on social media

The temporary Gaza ceasefire seems to have shifted the war zone to the West Bank: As the Israeli military continues its killings in the West Bank, Palestinians also increased their attacks on Israeli settlers. At least hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since Oct. 7 2023. Compared to the death toll of 46,600 in Gaza, it’s a small number but likely growing amid Israel’s burgeoning attacks. 

In response, Gaza-based Hamas has also called on Palestinians in the West Bank to aggravate their fight against Israel, signalling escalating violence in the territory that has plunged into poverty due to the war.

A humanitarian crisis in the West Bank is also in the making, as the UN reports increasingly limited access to the Jenin refugee camp for displaced Palestinians in the West Bank since December last year. Thousands are grappling to meet basic needs, and over 1,000 students were denied access to education due to the forced shuttering of UN schools. 

What’s worse is that the new US President, Donald Trump - who claimed credit for facilitating the Gaza ceasefire deal even before he was sworn in - lifted sanctions on Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian villages. 

Suppose international sanctions hardly limit Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In that case, the lack of them for Israel has put the ceasefire deal at risk and can potentially turn the West Bank into a “new Gaza.”

Image by Save_Palestine.