Palestinian News Agency
Israeli planning committees have approved 2,162 new Jewish homes in the occupied West Bank, including a new settlement near Jerusalem and expansions near Nablus and Hebron. The move, backed by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, would broaden settlement infrastructure and is described by supporters as strengthening Israel’s hold on the land, while Palestinians and critics warn it undermines prospects for a two-state solution.
A missile, likely Iranian, hit a women's hair salon in Beit Awwa, West Bank, killing three women and injuring 13. The incident marks a rare deadly attack in the area amid ongoing regional conflict, with conflicting reports on the cause of the blast.
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.
On April 5, 2026, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City killed four Palestinian policemen, marking the latest breach of the ceasefire established in October 2025. Despite the truce, Israeli strikes continue almost daily, killing over 715 Palestinians since October. Violence also persists in the West Bank, with settler attacks and Israeli military actions escalating amid Israel's broader conflicts with Iran and Hezbollah.
Reports have documented a continuing surge of violent attacks by Israeli settlers across the occupied West Bank this spring: arson, beatings, shootings and property destruction. Israeli forces are regularly present during incidents, with limited arrests reported; Palestinian authorities say bodies have been withheld after some killings, preventing burial and mourning.
The Guardian and other outlets report that Israeli detention facilities are under scrutiny as footage of abuse of Palestinian detainees surfaces. Officials have faced international condemnation following a high-profile video showing detainees in distress, prompting comment from leaders and human-rights bodies.
A seven‑month‑old Palestinian boy, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, has been killed and his parents have been wounded after an Israeli soldier has fired at the family’s car in Tel Rumeida, south of Hebron. Rights group B'Tselem has released video that it says shows the vehicle was stopping, and Israel’s military has opened a Military Police investigation.
Settler violence in the West Bank has intensified around Taybeh and nearby areas. Reports indicate arson on farmland and buildings, obstruction of emergency services, and international sanctions against settlers. Palestinian and international actors condemn the patterns of violence and call for accountability.