In October, Israeli settlers launched at least 264 attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, marking the highest monthly count since the UN began recording these events in 2006, according to a UN report on Friday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted the alarming rise in violence, noting that these attacks resulted in both casualties and property damage, averaging eight incidents daily.
“Since 2006, OCHA has documented over 9,600 such attacks. This year alone accounts for approximately 1,500 incidents, making up about 15% of the total,” stated the UN office.
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The West Bank, home to 2.7 million Palestinians, remains central to plans for a future Palestinian state alongside Israel. However, successive Israeli governments have rapidly expanded settlements, further dividing the territory.
Most countries, along with the United Nations and Palestinians, consider these settlements illegal under international law, a stance Israel disputes. Over 500,000 Israeli settlers reside in the West Bank.
OCHA also reported that as of Wednesday, data confirmed by OCHA indicated 42 Palestinian children were killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank so far this year.
“This means that one out of every five Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank in 2025 was a child,” OCHA noted.
Israel’s UN mission did not immediately provide a comment when requested.
These West Bank attacks occurred despite a US-mediated ceasefire in Gaza in October, which reduced fighting and led to the return of hostages.
