Jericho: Israeli occupation forces on Thursday evening blocked the entrances of Az-Zubaidat and Marj Na'ja villages, located north of Jericho. According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, the forces erected metal gates at the village entrances, effectively besieging the communities.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency, the Israeli occupation forces have intensified military measures across the occupied West Bank following the release of Palestinian prisoners as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement in January 2025. These measures include the use of military gates, barriers, and concrete blocks to dismember and isolate cities and governorates.
The freedom of movement for Palestinians within the occupied West Bank has been severely restricted due to approximately 917 fixed and flying checkpoints and gates, including 244 gates installed since October 7, 2023. Additionally, settler-only roads, over 200 military bases, and other physical obstructions contribute to the restrictions.
The Israeli military's actions coincide with ongoing attacks by Israeli colonists across the West Bank. These attacks aim to terrorize Palestinians and displace them from their lands, facilitating the construction of illegal Jewish colonies that further separate Palestinian communities.
These closures and other measures, taken under the guise of security, are seen as efforts to entrench Israel's 59-year-old military occupation of the West Bank. The occupation is enforced with routine and frequently deadly violence against Palestinians, as part of Israel's broader settler colonial project.