What We're Watching
Is the war in Gaza expanding to the West Bank?
Israeli security forces members take part in a raid, in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, August 28, 2024.
REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta
August 28, 2024
Israel on Wednesday launched a major operation in the occupied West Bank, which has seen increasing unrest and violence amid the war in Gaza. Two days of raids have killed 16 Palestinians – Israel said nearly all of them were Hamas militants – and involved gun battles, arrests, and airstrikes.
The Israeli military, which sent forces into Jenin as well as two refugee camps in the West Bank, said the operation was targeting terrorists. “This is a war in every respect, and we must win it,” Israel Katz, the Jewish state’s top diplomat, posted. Katz also pushed for the “temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents.” Meanwhile, Hamas has called on Palestinians in the West Bank to “rise up.”
Israel has accused Iran of smuggling weapons into the West Bank and fomenting conflict there. But Wednesday’s operation also comes just days after Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallantissued warnings about extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank and criticized the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir — accusing him of emboldening militant settlers and endangering Israel.
Over 650 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian Health Ministry figures, amid a rise in Israeli operations and violent attacks by settlers. At least 30 Israelis have also died in attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank during the same period, according to Israel.
How does this relate to Gaza? The operation in the West Bank is not necessarily an expansion of the war in Gaza, but the two are intrinsically linked.“There are linkages between Gaza and the West Bank and what happens in those two areas and other fronts in the region (and vice versa),” says Sofia Meranto, a Middle East analyst for Eurasia Group.
“There's a risk of further escalation in the West Bank over the coming period,” says Meranto, which is primarily tied to the deteriorating security situation and increasing violence atop a “worsening economic situation for Palestinian communities” in the occupied Palestinian territory.
More For You
In this episode of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with Ed Policy, President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers, to discuss how purpose-driven leadership and innovation are shaping the future of one of the world’s most iconic sports franchises. Ed shares how technology and community-focused initiatives, from Titletown Tech to health and safety innovations on the field, are transforming not just the game of football, but the economy and culture of Green Bay itself. He explains how combining strategic vision with investment in local startups is keeping talent in the Midwest and creating opportunities that extend far beyond Lambeau Field.
Subscribe and find new episodes monthly, wherever you listen to podcasts.
Most Popular
Egyptians head to the polls to elect a new parliament during the first round of the Egyptian parliamentary elections in Giza, Egypt, on November 10, 2025.
Photo by Islam Safwat/NurPhoto
Egyptians are voting this month in parliamentary elections that aren’t expected to change who’s in charge, but could allow President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to rule beyond 2030.
An injured soldier is transferred to a hospital following a clash between Thai and Cambodian troops over a disputed border area in Sisaket Province,Thailand, December 7, 2025.
Royal Thai Army/Handout via REUTERS
Thailand and Cambodia’s ceasefire is on the verge of collapse. Strikes were launched across their disputed border today, following clashes over the weekend that resulted in the death of a Thai soldier.
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.