Full Breakdown
West Bank Road Closures Turn Routine Journeys into Long Ordeals
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Closure Period and Checkpoint Landscape
Israel’s military has imposed a road-closure regime that began on September 27 and is scheduled to run until October 3, coinciding with the Jewish festival of Sukkot. The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission (CRRC) recorded 942 checkpoints, closure points and obstacles across the occupied West Bank as of September 25, up from 793 in March 2024. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) estimates the total length of these obstacles at roughly 107.7 km (70 miles).
Personal Accounts of Delays and Violence
On September 20, Zahriya Abu Hijleh, 66, collapsed at a wedding in Deir Istiya and later died after an ambulance was forced to stop at a closed iron gate operated by Israeli forces. Her son Mohammed recounted that the gate’s closure prevented timely medical transport. In another case, Ibtihal Mansour from Nablus spent more than 14 hours trapped at the Atara and Ein Siniya checkpoints; a soldier allegedly punched her 11-year-old son when he failed to wake. Families often spend nights in relatives’ homes or converted shelters after being stranded for hours.
Official Statements & Responses
Al Jazeera has sought comment from Israeli authorities regarding the closures and the alleged assaults, but no response has been received to date.
Verbatim Quotes
“Sadly, she died due to the delay,” — Deir Istiya. Mohammed