News|Israel-Palestine conflictMapping forced displacements and settler attacks by Israel in the West BankIsraeli military incursions and settler attacks forced more than 37,000 Palestinians to leave their homes in 2025.
## Regulation: Recent Developments in the West Bank
Regulation: Recent Developments in the West Bank
The Israeli government has recently sanctioned the designation of significant areas within the occupied West Bank as "state property." This decision requires Palestinians to provide proof of land ownership, shifting the burden of evidence onto them.
In 2025, the number of displaced Palestinians reached a record high of 37,135 due to Israeli military operations and settler violence, as reported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Among these, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported that 33,362 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from three northern refugee camps: Jenin (12,557), Tulkarem (11,862), and Nur Shams (8,943).
Additionally, 3,773 individuals were displaced due to home demolitions, settler violence, and access restrictions. The most affected West Bank governorates include:
Ramallah and el-Bireh: 870 Jerusalem: 841 Hebron: 446 Nablus: 407 Bethlehem: 397 Tubas: 292 Salfit: 150 Jericho: 135 Jenin: 110 Tulkarem: 65 Qalqilya: 60
Among these, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported that 33,362 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from three northern refugee camps: Jenin (12,557), Tulkarem (11,862), and Nur Shams (8,943).
The 1993 Oslo Accords, signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel, divided the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C. Area C, which comprises 60% of the West Bank, remains under full Israeli control, contrary to the original agreement to transfer authority to the Palestinian Authority (PA).
In Area C, building permits for Palestinians are seldom granted by the Israeli Civil Administration, leading to most construction being deemed illegal and subject to demolition.
Data from OCHA indicates a significant rise in Israeli settler attacks, with over 3,700 incidents in the past 28 months. The trend of escalating attacks is evident, with 852 attacks in 2022, 1,291 in 2023, 1,449 in 2024, and 1,828 in 2025.
Between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025, the Ramallah and el-Bireh governorate recorded 523 incidents, followed by Nablus with 349, and Hebron with 309.
Israeli settlers are citizens residing in Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank, established on lands occupied by Israel in 1967. These settlements are strategically positioned near Palestinian population centers, often resulting in heightened tensions and restrictions on Palestinian movement.
Approximately 10% of Israel's Jewish population, estimated between 600,000 and 750,000 individuals, live in about 250 settlements and outposts throughout the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
