Israel has approved 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, pushing the total new settlements in recent years to 69, a record high. These expansions increase the number of West Bank settlements from 141 in 2022 to 210 now, according to the anti-settlement group Peace Now. The approval includes two settlements, Kadim and Ganim, evacuated in 2005 but now reinstated after the government repealed a previous ban. The decision was made by Israel's security cabinet and comes during US efforts to move forward with a Gaza ceasefire and a possible pathway to a Palestinian state. However, the settlements are seen as a roadblock to that goal. Settlements are illegal under international law. The current Israeli government, influenced by far-right leaders like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, is pushing hard for settler expansion. Violence by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has surged recently. During October's olive harvest, settlers launched an average of eight attacks per day—the highest since records began in 2006. These attacks, including burning cars and destroying farmland, continued into November, with 136 attacks recorded by the UN by 24 November. Israeli authorities have mostly issued only mild condemnations. Palestinian health officials reported two Palestinians killed in recent clashes with Israeli forces, including 16-year-old Rayan Abu Muallah and 22-year-old Ahmad Ziyoud. Israel's military stated the incidents are under review. The military has increased operations in the West Bank since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, which sparked the ongoing Gaza war.