Ramallah:Israeli occupation forces have increased movement restrictions around the cities of Ramallah and al-Bireh, causing significant traffic congestion and further complicating civilian movement.
According to Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA – English, the Israeli forces closed the entrances to the towns of Jaba', Ein Sinya, and Atara, located north and northeast of Ramallah. Video footage has shown severe congestion at the Atara checkpoint. Additionally, the road to Qalandiya was closed as the forces raided the refugee camp north of Jerusalem, along with the town of Silwad and the village of al-Mughayyir. Checkpoints have also been set up around the town of Turmus Ayya, exacerbating travel difficulties across the governorate.
These military measures were intensified shortly after the release of 90 Palestinian prisoners following the Gaza ceasefire on January 19, 2025. The restrictions have been further imposed under the pretext of the ongoing Israeli-Iranian war, effectively isolating cities and governorates with military gates, barriers, and concrete blocks.
In parallel, Israeli colonists have continued attacks across the West Bank to displace Palestinians and seize land for the construction of illegal Jewish colonies. The movement of 3.4 million Palestinians within the occupied West Bank is severely restricted by a network of 925 checkpoints and barriers. These include 89 permanently staffed checkpoints, 218 partially staffed checkpoints, 232 road gates, 114 linear closures, 167 earth mounds, and 105 roadblocks.
These closures, along with other security measures, aim to entrench Israel's 59-year military occupation of the West Bank and its settler colonial project, enforced with routine and frequently deadly violence against Palestinians.