Shooting, land grabs, heritage disputes: West Bank tensions escalate

A surge in violence and a string of controversial Israeli policies are intensifying tensions in the West Bank. In recent days, a deadly shooting of a pregnant Israeli woman, expanded land registration plans favouring settlers, and new archaeological excavations in a contested heritage site have sparked condemnation and fuelled fears of irreversible changes on the ground.

Tzeela Gez, a 33-year-old therapist from the Israeli settlement of Bruchin, was shot and killed on Wednesday night in a terrorist attack while en route to hospital to give birth. The baby was delivered in an critical condition and remains in intensive care. Tzeela's husband, Hananel, sustained light injuries and managed to call for help.

Security forces sealed off Palestinian villages during a search for the attacker, believed to be a lone gunman who fled on foot. He is yet to be apprehended.

In the wake of the attack, settlers carried out retaliatory “price tag” attacks. A house in a Palestinian village near the site of the shooting was set on fire, and 17 Palestinian vehicles were torched near the Ariel industrial zone. Firefighters limited damage to the house, and Israeli police arrived later to investigate.

The killing comes amid a broader spike in West Bank violence. A Shin Bet report revealed that terror incidents in 2024 nearly doubled from the previous year, with 6,828 recorded compared to 3,436 in 2023. However, “significant” attacks—such as shootings and stabbings—fell by 44%. Security forces thwarted over 1,000 such attacks in 2024, a figure consistent with 2023. Despite these efforts, 46 people were killed and 337 injured in attacks in 2024.