SHOTLIST HEBRON, WEST BANK, PALESTINE (JULY 5, 2025) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF ISRAELI SETTLERS, ESCORTED BY SOLDIERS, ROAMING IN STREETS OF OLD TOWN 2. PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST HISHAM AL-SHARBATI SPEAKING (Arabic) TO CAMERA HEBRON, WEST BANK, PALESTINE - JULY 5: Israeli settlers organized a march through the Old City of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank on Saturday, July 5, escorted by Israeli soldiers, as tensions continue to escalate in the region. Palestinian human rights activist Hisham al-Sharbati told Anadolu Agency that before the march, Israeli forces conducted raids along the route and imposed strict security measures. "The soldiers violently and tensely secured the area before the march," he said. Sharbati reported that Israeli troops forced Palestinian shopkeepers to close their businesses and used harsh tactics against bystanders. Soldiers also blocked access to several streets and were accused of using excessive force against civilians. The march comes amid a sharp increase in settler attacks and settlement expansion in the West Bank. Since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, at least 989 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, with around 7,000 others injured, according to local sources. Israeli media reports indicate a dramatic rise in settler attacks and settlement expansion in the West Bank since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government took office in late 2022. According to Channel 12, the number of settlements has increased from 128 to 178—a 40% rise—alongside mass demolitions of Palestinian homes. The government has approved 41,709 new settler homes, exceeding approvals from the previous six years. This follows a letter signed by 14 Likud ministers and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana demanding immediate annexation of the occupied West Bank. While Israeli authorities have often ignored settler violence against Palestinians, recent attacks on Israeli security forces have drawn political backlash. Since 2022, 50 new settlements and 214 illegal outposts have been recorded—66 established during the Gaza war. Settlement construction has surged by 300% compared to the prior two years, accelerating Israel’s de facto annexation of Palestinian land. Writing by Sibel Uygun