Israeli Military and Settler Attacks Cause Civilian Casualties in West Bank and Gaza

Since the October 7 2023 attacks, Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank has intensified, with illegal outposts encroaching on Palestinian land, burning agricultural fields in the Christian village of Taybeh and seizing church property in East Jerusalem. Churches for Middle East Peace urges the U.S. Congress to pressure Israel to halt settlement approvals and prosecute settler violence, citing threats to Palestinian safety, self‑determination and religious freedom.

In late July 2026, Israeli forces carried out a series of strikes in the Gaza Strip that hit civilian targets. An Israeli helicopter missile struck a displacement tent near Khan Younis, killing an 8‑year‑old child and a relative, while a drone attack on a crowd outside a dress‑rental shop in Gaza City killed a 28‑year‑old man. A subsequent warplane strike destroyed a two‑storey house in Deir al‑Balah and damaged nearby homes, shops, a kindergarten and telecommunications infrastructure, causing further civilian injuries and displacement.