In a briefing held in Geneva, Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), stated that “Israeli settlers and security forces have intensified their killings, attacks and harassment of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in the past weeks.”

The military’s ongoing "Iron Wall" operation in the northern part of the West Bank has displaced approximately 30,000 Palestinians, contributing to what OHCHR called the "ongoing consolidation of annexation." The operation has uprooted entire communities, many of which have limited access to humanitarian support or legal recourse.

“This is not just a temporary displacement crisis,” said Al-Kheetan. “The scale and pattern of these removals suggest an entrenched policy to change the demographic and territorial status of the West Bank.”

The UN agency expressed concern that these developments are part of a larger strategy undermining the possibility of a two-state solution.

Record-Level Settler Attacks And Fatalities

OHCHR’s data reveals a grim trend: June 2025 saw the highest number of Palestinian injuries in a single month in over 20 years. Since the beginning of the year, 757 attacks by Israeli settlers targeting Palestinians or their property have been documented — a 13% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The violence has led to 964 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since October 7, 2023. These deaths resulted from both settler attacks and operations by Israeli security forces. In the same timeframe, 53 Israelis have been reported killed — either in Palestinian attacks or during armed clashes.

OHCHR underscored the obligation of occupying powers under international humanitarian law to protect the civilian population. “The failure to prevent or restrain such violence — and in some cases the active participation of security forces — raises serious legal questions,” the spokesperson added.

The UN called for urgent international scrutiny and accountability mechanisms to address the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in the West Bank.