Human rights organisations have raised alarm over what they describe as an expansion of Israel’s “death penalty regime” in the occupied West Bank following new military measures and increased use of lethal force against Palestinians. Israeli authorities have widened policies allowing soldiers greater authority to use live fire during military operations and arrest raids across the West Bank. Critics argue the measures contribute to a growing pattern of extrajudicial killings and reduce the likelihood of Palestinians receiving fair trials or due process.
This comes amid escalating violence in the occupied territory, where Israeli raids, settler attacks and armed confrontations have intensified since the start of the Gaza Genocide in October 2023. Palestinian health officials say hundreds of Palestinians, including civilians, have been killed in the West Bank during that period.
Israeli officials maintain that military operations target armed groups responsible for attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians. However, rights organisations argue that increasingly aggressive rules of engagement have normalised the use of deadly force in situations where suspects could instead be detained.
International legal experts and advocacy groups have called for independent investigations into alleged unlawful killings and for greater scrutiny of Israeli military conduct in the occupied territories.
