The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has sounded the alarm over a sharp rise in Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank, warning that it is accelerating the forced displacement of Palestinians and deepening the humanitarian crisis.

In its latest report, OCHA documented nearly 740 settler attacks in the first half of 2025 alone, ranging from physical assaults and arson to the destruction of homes, vehicles, and farmland. At least 340 Palestinians, including women and children, have been injured, with many families uprooted from their homes, especially in Area C, which remains under full Israeli control.

The report highlighted the frequent complicity or inaction of Israeli forces during these attacks, effectively shielding perpetrators and leaving Palestinian communities defenceless. OCHA reiterated its call for international protection and accountability mechanisms to curb the violence.

This surge in settler aggression, fuelled by impunity and systematic land grabs, threatens not only the safety of civilians but also the future of any viable peace. As homes are torched and livelihoods destroyed, Palestinians are left with little more than a shrinking space to exist.