The Israeli government has escalated its attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, amid the countdown to the Israeli legislative elections scheduled for October 27. On Monday, a group of Israeli settlers set fire to vehicles belonging to Palestinian citizens in two separate locations in Ramallah governorate in the occupied West Bank. The settlers also wrote slogans on walls and damaged Palestinian property.
Israeli forces have also increased their security measures in the West Bank, raiding several towns and villages, including Taqu, Al-Abidiya, Rafid, Harmala, and Birkat Suleiman. During these raids, a 27-year-old Palestinian man was arrested in the village of Al-Asakira, east of Bethlehem. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli tanks fired intensively in various areas of the besieged Strip, including eastern areas of the Maghazi and Al-Bureij refugee camps.
The Israeli military also launched artillery attacks on eastern Gaza City. Furthermore, Israeli tanks fired at makeshift shelters for displaced persons in the Mawasi area of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. This escalation comes a day after four Palestinian citizens were killed. According to the Palestinian Center for Media, the Israeli military continues to violate the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that since the ceasefire began on October 10, 2025, the number of Palestinian fatalities has risen to 1,421, with 4,964 injured and 834 cases of remains retrieval. The overall toll of Israel's aggression since October 7, 2023, stands at 74,022 fatalities and 175,079 injured. These numbers reflect the heavy human cost of Israel's ongoing aggression against Gaza.
The current escalation in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip coincides with the approaching Israeli legislative elections. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is seeking to intensify military actions against Palestinians as an election strategy to gain support from right-wing voters. Netanyahu faces a real challenge in retaining power, with five opposition leaders agreeing to unite against him.
The opposition leaders, including Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, Yair Golan, and Gadi Eisenkot, have decided to put aside the issue of selecting a prime ministerial candidate for now and focus on defeating Netanyahu's government. They plan to discuss this issue further after the elections. Their goal is to work together to achieve this objective, prioritizing the replacement of the current government.
There have been reported disagreements between Netanyahu's Likud party and far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. However, some Israeli media outlets suggest that these public spats may be a tactical move. Despite internal tensions, Likud still relies on Ben Gvir and other right-wing allies, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former lawmaker Moshe Feiglin.
Key points
- Israeli escalation in West Bank and Gaza amid election campaign
- Netanyahu's government seeks to intensify military actions against Palestinians as an election strategy
- Opposition leaders unite to challenge Netanyahu's government in upcoming elections
