Jerusalem: Israeli occupation forces on Monday evening sealed off the entrances of Hizma town, northeast of the occupied West Bank city of Jerusalem, denying Palestinian-licensed vehicles access and causing traffic congestion.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, the occupation forces closed the gates at both entrances of the town. These actions are part of a broader strategy of tightening military measures across the occupied West Bank, implemented shortly after the release of the first batch of Palestinian prisoners as part of the Gaza ceasefire in January 2025. This strategy involves dismembering and isolating cities and governorates using military gates, barriers, and concrete blocks.
The measures severely restrict Palestinians’ freedom of movement within the occupied West Bank. This is achieved through a complex network of approximately 898 fixed and flying checkpoints and gates, including 18 gates installed since the start of 2025 and 146 others installed following the events of October 7, 2023. The network also includes settler-only roads, over 200 military bases, and various other physical obstructions.
Additionally, these military measures coincide with ongoing attacks by Israeli colonists across the West Bank. These actions aim to terrorize Palestinians and displace them from their lands, facilitating the construction of illegal Jewish colonies that separate Palestinian communities.
The closures, along with other measures, are undertaken under the guise of security. However, they are intended to entrench Israel’s 58-year-old military occupation of the West Bank and its settler colonial project, which is enforced with routine and often deadly violence against Palestinians.