UN reports record West Bank Palestinian displacement in 2025

2026-01-26 - 21:48

The United Nations has reported a record level of displacement for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank during 2025, with more than 37,000 people forced from their homes. This figure represents the highest annual total documented by the UN and marks the ninth consecutive year of increase, driven by unprecedented violence and military activity. Record Settler Violence and Military Operations UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, presenting data from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stated the Palestinian territory "saw record levels of displacement and settler violence." He explained that the primary driver was "operations carried out in refugee camps" by Israeli forces. Furthermore, OCHA documented over 1,800 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians across the northern West Bank that resulted in casualties or property damage throughout the year. The escalation in settler attacks has been pronounced since the outbreak of conflict in Gaza in October 2023. Broader Context of Occupation and Casualties This displacement occurs within the context of a long-standing occupation considered illegal under international law. According to the Israeli organization Peace Now, more than 750,000 Israeli settlers now live in settlements across the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, which are widely viewed as illegal under international law. Palestinian authorities report that since October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 1,109 Palestinians and injured nearly 11,000 others in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. This situation persists despite a landmark July 2024 opinion from the International Court of Justice, which declared Israel's occupation illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements. A Trend of Accelerating Humanitarian Crisis The record displacement figure is not an isolated incident but the peak of a sustained trend. Dujarric emphasized that 2025's total is "the highest annual figure on record by the United Nations, and marks the ninth consecutive annual increase." This consistent upward trajectory points to a deepening humanitarian crisis in the West Bank, where violence and the expansion of settlements continue to erode the viability of Palestinian communities and threaten long-term stability.