Clashes flare as West Bank violence widens; Nablus sits in the eye of the storm, a major Palestinian city between Ebal and Gerizim with ~157k people.
Since early 2026, Israeli settler violence in the West Bank has escalated sharply, with at least five Palestinians killed in recent days, including two brothers shot in Qaryut and another man in Masafer Yatta. The Israeli military is investigating incidents involving reservist soldiers. Settler attacks have surged amid ongoing regional tensions following strikes on Iran.
Over the past 24 hours, Israel has conducted lethal strikes across Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank, resulting in dozens of deaths. The conflict has intensified after nearly two weeks of war, with ongoing violence, displacement, and humanitarian crises in Gaza and the West Bank. The death toll exceeds 2,000, with significant civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.
On April 11, 2026, Ali Majed Hamadneh, 23, has died after Israeli settlers opened fire during a raid on Deir Jarir village in the West Bank. The attack occurred under Israeli military protection amid a surge in settler violence and government approval of 34 new settlements. The incident has intensified criticism of settlement expansion and settler attacks in the occupied territory.
Since early April 2026, Jerusalem's Old City holy sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, have reopened after a six-week closure due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has repeatedly entered Al-Aqsa, performing Jewish prayers forbidden under the Status Quo, sparking Palestinian and Jordanian condemnation. Restrictions on Muslim worshippers and settler incursions continue, raising fears of escalating tensions and changes to the site's religious status.
Israel's Knesset has approved a law allowing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of terrorism, sparking protests and international criticism. The law targets Palestinians in the West Bank and is seen as a move towards harsher punitive measures, with critics warning of legal and human rights violations. The law was passed on April 12, 2026.
Palestinians report Israeli restrictions and provocations at Jerusalem's holy sites, including attempts by Jewish extremists to perform animal sacrifices at Al-Aqsa. Israeli authorities reopened the sites after weeks of closures due to regional conflict, but tensions persist with reports of incursions and restrictions affecting Muslim, Christian, and Jewish worshippers.