Israel has occupied the West Bank of the Jordan River, which Palestinians want as the core of an independent state, since the 1967 Middle East war. It has built Jewish settlements there that most countries deem illegal. Israel disputes this and cites historical and Biblical ties to the land.

The ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas stretched into a fifth day on Thursday. Humanitarian aid groups are working to surge food and supplies to the war-ravaged territory as Palestinians scour through mountains of rubble.

The announcement came shortly after President Trump rescinded Biden-era sanctions on Israeli settlers and Jewish extremists raided Palestinian villages in protest against the cease-fire in Gaza.

Meanwhile on the ground in Gaza the ceasefire, which came into effect on January 19th, is holding. The first hostages have been released as have 90 Palestinian prisoners. Aid has begun to flow in. The idf has begun to dismantle some of its bases. Displaced Gazans are returning to the rubble of their homes.

Days into the Gaza ceasefire, the head of Israel's Shin Bet security service has signalled that the country's focus is switching to Palestinian armed groups in the occupied West Bank. Ronen Bar said Israel was in the midst of a multi-front campaign, but that "right now, it's Samaria's [northern West Bank] time".

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to reiterate Washington's support for its ally, and the two also discussed Iran and Israeli hostages in Gaza, the State Department said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi by phone on Friday, China's foreign ministry said, the first call between the two top diplomats since President Donald Trump's administration took office on Monday.

RAMALLAH, - An Israeli drone strike on a vehicle near the West Bank town of Qabatiya killed two people, the Palestinian health ministry said on Friday, the fourth day of a large-scale Israeli operation in the nearby city of Jenin launched after the truce in Gaza.

An Israeli drone strike on a vehicle near the West Bank town of Qabatiya killed two people, the Palestinian health ministry said on Friday, the fourth day of a large-scale Israeli operation in the nearby city of Jenin launched after the truce in Gaza.

The Palestinian health ministry said an Israeli strike killed two people Friday in the north of the occupied West Bank, where the military has been

The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Friday that all sanctions imposed on Israeli settlers involved in violent attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and against organizations involved in the building of illegal West Bank outposts have been lifted and all frozen assets released.