Israel expands settlements, 450 Palestinians killed in West Bank since October 7

Israel is trapped in a cycle it created. Occupation fuels resistance, and resistance is used to justify more occupation. Near Nablus, that cycle turned deadly yet again: Israeli forces killed five Palestinians on Wednesday as four new outposts were erected in the West Bank, according to local health officials and Israeli rights groups.

The violence unfolded in the villages of Qabalan and Huwara, areas long at the center of friction between settlers and Palestinians. Settler expansion has surged since October 7, with more than 1,000 new homes approved by Israel in the last six months. The government says it’s responding to security needs. Palestinians and human rights groups call it land theft. Each new outpost pushes families off their land and deepens resentment. Armed groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad often cite occupation as their main recruiting tool.

The latest deaths bring the West Bank toll since October 7 to over 450 Palestinians and 10 Israelis, per UN figures. Videos showed Israeli soldiers firing during protests that followed the outpost construction. Rights group B’Tselem said the raids were “collective punishment.” The Israeli military claimed it targeted gunmen after gunfire was reported. Local leaders say the crackdown only feeds the next round of attacks.

What happens next is predictable. More protests. More raids. More settlers moving in. Israel may cite security, but the pattern shows the occupation itself is the problem. Unless the cycle breaks, violence will keep rising.