UN Panel Says West Bank Settler Attacks Jumped 130% as Hamas Killed 108 in Gaza
Updated
Updated · Arab News · Jun 21
UN Panel Says West Bank Settler Attacks Jumped 130% as Hamas Killed 108 in Gaza
3 articles · Updated · Arab News · Jun 21
Summary
A UN inquiry found Palestinians are being squeezed by two fronts of abuse: Israeli state-enabled settler violence in the West Bank and Hamas-linked repression in Gaza.
The report says West Bank settler attacks rose 130% in a year, with organized assaults often involving armed, masked settlers accompanied by Israeli security forces and driving at least 59 shepherding communities from their land since Oct. 7, 2023.
In Gaza, the commission documented 249 cases of executions and severe physical violence from August 2024 to January 2026, leaving at least 108 dead and 384 injured in punishments tied to alleged collaboration, looting or rival affiliations.
Justice Srinivasan Muralidhar said children are increasingly targeted or exposed on both sides, citing abductions and attacks by settlers and public punishments in Gaza watched by children.
Muralidhar said Israel has denied the commission access to Israel and the occupied territories, while arguing existing ICC and ICJ processes give states legal grounds to pursue accountability.
With courts targeting Israeli and Hamas leaders, is international law powerless to stop violence on the ground?
Caught between state-backed settler attacks and Hamas enforcers, is there any escape for Palestinian civilians?
Is the UN-documented surge in settler violence a covert strategy for the annexation of the West Bank?
UN: West Bank Settler Attacks Up 130% in 2025-2026, Gaza Faces Parallel Abuses and Humanitarian Emergency
Overview
Between 2025 and 2026, violence in the West Bank sharply escalated as Israeli policies actively supported and protected settlers, creating an environment where attacks against Palestinians increased dramatically. This climate of impunity, fueled by the failure of Israeli authorities to halt or punish such violence, led to a 130 percent rise in Palestinian injuries and intensified the conflict. The resulting instability allowed Hamas-affiliated forces to exploit the situation, while widespread destruction and displacement pushed the humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to a critical point. The ongoing lack of accountability continues to drive the cycle of violence and suffering.