On July 4, 2024, Israel's Higher Planning Council approved plans to build 5,295 new homes across dozens of settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to the Israeli anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now. This decision comes amid escalating military operations in Gaza and increasing violence in the region.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, largely supported by settlers, is proceeding with this expansion amidst ongoing conflict with Hezbollah along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. On the same day, Hezbollah fired over 200 rockets into northern Israel, retaliating for an Israeli airstrike that killed senior commander Mohammad Naameh Nasser. The Israeli Defense Forces responded with strikes on Hezbollah’s military structures in southern Lebanon, resulting in casualties and damage.
The conflict in Gaza has seen Israel's offensive kill over 38,000 Palestinians since an unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7 that killed around 1,200 Israelis and took 250 hostages, of which over 100 have been released during previous ceasefires.
Diplomatically, Netanyahu has decided to send negotiators to resume ceasefire discussions. These efforts are under a US-backed phased ceasefire plan that includes withdrawing Israeli forces and releasing hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Ceasefire talks have seen little progress as both sides maintain conflicting demands.
In parallel, Hezbollah's retaliatory strikes have added to the turmoil, raising fears of a broader regional conflict. The US and other international actors are attempting to mitigate the situation to prevent a full-scale war.
The ongoing violence and settlement activities further complicate the prospects for peace in the region.