254 West Bank Airstrike Deaths Since 2023

The cost of conflict in the West Bank has shifted from sporadic incidents to a sustained pattern of aerial bombardment, according to a new United Nations report. The data reveals a change in the operational environment for residents, with the number of annual Palestinian deaths reaching nearly 500 since 2022. These figures represent the highest levels recorded since the UN began tracking casualties in 2005.

The Commission of Inquiry released its findings on Monday, focusing on the period between October 7, 2023, and September 30, 2026. During this window, the panel logged 254 deaths caused by airstrikes. This number contrasts sharply with the preceding era, when only six Palestinians were killed by air power between 2008 and October 6, 2023. The report identifies a specific inflection point in January 2025, coinciding with the launch of Operation Iron Wall.

The commission describes Operation Iron Wall as a shift toward widespread destruction of housing and infrastructure. The report notes that airstrikes have become more frequent in refugee camps and areas surrounding Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, and Nablus. It cites the Israel Defense Forces' stated aim to dismantle these structures and restore operational freedom, arguing that reconstruction endangers both citizens and military forces.

Srinivasan Muralidhar, the chair of the commission, outlined the panel's assessment of Israeli intent. "The intentional killing and injuring of Palestinian civilians and destruction of homes in the West Bank combined with Israel’s persistent denial of responsibility form part of a broader strategy to exterminate and displace Palestinians and impose conditions of life that are unliveable," Muralidhar said. The report claims these actions continue despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect in October 2025.

The panel analyzed public statements by senior Israeli officials to gauge military intentions. It referenced remarks by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who in January 2025 wrote that Fondouk, Nablus, and Jenin should "look like Jabalia." The commission also cited a May 2026 report that IDF Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth told soldiers they were "killing like we haven’t since 1967."

Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry responded on Monday, characterizing the document as a "propaganda document detached from reality." The ministry stated the report aims to undermine Israel’s right to self-defense and delegitimize the Jewish state. It added that the report seeks to legitimize jihadist terrorism against its citizens.

The report did not spare the Palestinian Authority, which the commission accused of suppressing dissent through arbitrary arrests and detention. The panel cited the October 2023 protests in Ramallah, Tubas, and Jenin, where at least two men, a boy, and a girl were killed. The PA accepted responsibility for the boy's death, noting he was run over by a security vehicle. The report also examined the December 2024 killing of a journalism student in Jenin, for whom the PA spokesman blamed "outlaws."

The commission verified four additional cases of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees since March 2025. Two victims were from the West Bank. One case involved a male detainee at Megiddo Prison in 2025, who was allegedly blindfolded and raped with objects during interrogation. The panel concluded that these acts were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of crimes against humanity.