Could a ceasefire in Gaza give hope to the people of the West Bank?

Recently, the West Bank has witnessed a significant escalation in Israeli military operations, known as the “Summer Camps” operation targeting areas in the northern West Bank.

Anyone who visits the camps of Tulkarm, Jenin and Tubas will notice destruction operations similar to those that occurred and are occurring in the Gaza Strip, from the destruction of infrastructure, to the total and partial destruction of shops and citizens’ homes.

These military operations not only resulted in human losses, but also caused waves of internal displacement from the camps, as many families were forced to leave their homes and search for places that might be safer.

The suffering of the Palestinians is not limited to this matter only, but it is increased by the Israeli restrictions on the daily movement of Palestinians. For example, my trip from Ramallah to Nablus took longer than traveling from Nablus to Jordan because of the checkpoints, gates and restrictions imposed in the West Bank.

On your way from the northern West Bank to the city of Ramallah, you can notice how the occupation continues to expand its settlements at the expense of the Palestinians, transforming the natural geography into colonies, and even the road signs are in Hebrew, which reinforces the increasing feeling of alienation and separation from the land and that you are walking in a land that is not yours.

This suffering is part of the life of Palestinians in the West Bank, where the Palestinian territories have been torn apart into isolated areas with population centers separated by iron gates, as if they were “cantons.”

The Palestinian economy is also suffering, in addition to the destruction caused by the October 7, 2023 war. Perhaps the most prominent consequence of the war after the destruction of the Gaza Strip is Palestinian unemployment. The disruption of Palestinian workers’ entry to their jobs in the occupied interior has led to an increase in the economic and living deterioration of the Palestinians, which has a direct impact on all segments of the population in the West Bank, from families, men, children, and homes that have been economically and psychologically destroyed, which has led to a significant escalation in domestic violence.

All these developments prompt us to ask: How might the ongoing war in Gaza affect the situation in the West Bank? In light of the ongoing international efforts to achieve a ceasefire, there is no doubt that international pressure is an important tool towards a ceasefire in Gaza. It is not only a humanitarian duty, but also a right for the Palestinians who suffer daily from the consequences of war and cannot live a normal life under these circumstances.

This war does not target just one faction or movement, but rather adds a new chapter of suffering for millions of innocent Palestinians who want nothing but a decent life and hope for a better future.

How long will the Palestinian citizen continue to bear the consequences of the war in Gaza? This war was launched primarily as a result of the escalations. The Palestinians in the West Bank, like the people of the Gaza Strip, face displacement from their homes, the destruction of their livelihoods, and the confiscation of their lands. Therefore, a ceasefire in Gaza represents a necessary step for steadfastness, and the continuation of the war in Gaza represents a direct threat to the safety of the residents of the West Bank, as is the case in Gaza.