Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that the escalation of settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has caused the total or partial displacement of 107 communities since January 2023.

The organization warned that dozens more are at risk of disappearing due to the expansion of illegal settlements.

In a report published this Thursday, it noted that settler violence intensified dramatically during March and April 2026, featuring killings—including children—physical and psychological abuse, sexual violence, arbitrary detentions, arson, property destruction, and theft.

HRW Denounces State Backing for Settler Attacks

According to HRW, the attacks occur with financial, material, and legal backing from the Israeli entity, while armed settlers operate at times alongside army units or in the presence of soldiers who fail to intervene.

“The Israeli government and settlers share the same goal: to obtain maximum territory and minimize the Palestinian population. The authorities not only fail to stop settler violence, but actively encourage it,” stated HRW researcher Sarah Sanbar.

The organization maintained that settlers shoot, attack, and expel Palestinians from their lands, while the state provides them with weapons, legal coverage, and financial resources.

Attacks Investigated in Seven Palestinian Communities

Human Rights Watch reported that it investigated attacks occurring during April and May in seven Palestinian communities: Al-Mughayyir, Mikhmas, and Taybeh, in the Ramallah Governorate; Jalud and Qaryut, in Nablus; and Khirbet Humsa and Eastern Muarrajat, in the Jordan Valley.

The organization interviewed 20 witnesses and reviewed videos recorded by residents and security camera footage documenting multiple incidents.

HRW added that the Israeli military did not respond to its questions regarding the investigated attacks.

Settler Violence Drives Displacement

According to HRW, the attacks are increasingly targeting the livelihoods and food security of the Palestinian population.

Settlers restrict access to pastures and water sources, steal or kill livestock, and destroy or burn agricultural fields and crops.

These actions have forced Palestinian families to sell their livestock at a loss or incur higher costs to feed animals inside their homes.

HRW further noted that attacks have intensified in Area B of the West Bank, subject to an administrative and security framework established by the 1995 Oslo II Accords.

The organization stated that the violence, coupled with the lack of effective protection by authorities, has created a coercive environment forcing numerous Palestinians to abandon their homes.

“I have lived my whole life in this region, but I have never seen anything like this,” declared Um Muhammad Muammar, 72, a resident of Qaryut whose two sons were killed by settlers.

2026 Records Peak Attack Numbers

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more forced displacements of Palestinians due to settler attacks, demolitions, and evictions occurred during the first four months of 2026 than during all of 2025.

OCHA recorded an average of 6.6 daily settler attacks that resulted in casualties, property damage, or both, making 2026 the worst year for such incidents since the United Nations began collecting data.

Through July 24, at least 15 Palestinians, including two children, had been killed by settlers, according to OCHA.

The figure places 2026 close to surpassing the record set in 2023, when 16 Palestinians were killed by settlers.

Over 5,900 Palestinians Displaced Since 2023

HRW noted that settler violence has fully or partially displaced 107 communities, comprising roughly 5,900 Palestinians, since January 2023.

This displacement comes in addition to the expulsion of another 32,000 Palestinian refugees by the Israeli army in January 2025.

These operations effectively emptied the refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams, according to the report.

Millions Allocated for Israeli Outposts

HRW stated that those responsible for the attacks rely on financial and material support from Israeli authorities.

In March, The Times of Israel reported that the government had approved approximately 50 million shekels—equivalent to about $16 million—destined for illegal settlement outposts.

The funds were used to acquire off-road vehicles, night-vision goggles, and drones—equipment that, according to HRW, is used by settlers to harass Palestinian communities.

The organization also cited Amnesty International, which determined that the budget for Israel's Ministry of Settlements and National Missions increased by 122% under the current government.

Only 3% of Cases End in Conviction

HRW also denounced the lack of judicial prosecution against settlers involved in violent acts.

The Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din reported at the end of 2025 that only 3% of hundreds of cases documented since 2005 had ended in convictions.

Human Rights Watch asserted that the line between settlers and Israeli security forces is increasingly blurred.

Following the October 7, 2023 attacks carried out by Palestinian armed groups, the Israeli military mobilized 5,500 West Bank settlers serving as reservists and incorporated them into regional defense battalions.

According to HRW, these units composed of settler-soldiers operate with broad autonomy and assume major security roles.

Settlers Receive Weapons and Policing Powers

HRW also pointed out that the Israeli Ministry of National Security created civilian rapid-response squads in the settlements, granting them policing powers, uniforms, and weapons.

The organization indicated that National Security Minister Itmar Ben-Gvir loosened requirements for obtaining firearm licenses and oversaw the distribution of rifles among settlers.

These policies have expanded the armed authority of settlers in the West Bank alongside the territorial expansion of settlements.

Israel Accelerates Settlement Expansion

Human Rights Watch cited Israeli War Minister Israel Katz, who declared in July that the government had approved 104 new settlements since taking office.

According to the cited figures, the total number reportedly rose from 127 to 231 settlements.

During the war against Iran, the Israeli cabinet also reportedly approved 34 settlements, including 10 existing outposts that were subsequently "legalized" retroactively under Israeli law.

HRW recalled that these outposts remain illegal under international humanitarian law, regardless of whether Israeli authorities choose to retroactively legalize them under domestic law.