Israel upgrades West Bank settlement status and conducts large‑scale raids

Israel elevated the status of the Givat Ze'ev settlement in the occupied West Bank to that of a city, granting it expanded administrative and financial privileges. Palestinian officials say the move is aimed at isolating occupied Jerusalem and furthering a de‑facto annexation by linking Givat Ze'ev with nearby settlements such as Ma'ale Adumim and Gush Etzion. The Palestinian Commission on the Wall and Settlements called the decision a war crime and noted a funding package of 130 million shekels to accelerate colonisation.

In the days that followed, the Israeli army launched a large‑scale operation across the West Bank after clashes that left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead. Troops entered dozens of villages, including the town of Tell in the Nablus governorate, detaining more than 30 residents, cutting access routes and conducting raids on homes. Both Israeli and Palestinian sources give conflicting accounts of the violence that sparked the operation, but the escalation highlights the intensifying security situation in the occupied territories.