Pray that Khalid in Gaza remains safe from continuing air strikes, from disease caused by rodent infestations and from lack of sanitation. Pray that he and his family are able to find sufficient food and water and decent shelter. Pray that Khalid’s cousins in the West Bank remain safe from settler attacks, that they are not displaced through home demolition, that they are able to attend school, and that road blockades and checkpoints inside the West Bank do not prevent their parents from going to work or obtaining medical care. Pray that the leaders of Gaza, the West Bank and Israel might choose dialogue rather than violence, and a future where security is not built on fear, but on justice and dignity for all who live there.
Context: Current Situation in the West Bank of Palestine
The Palestinian territories consist of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) which borders the west bank of the Jordan River and the Gaza Strip, along the Mediterranean, both occupied by Israel since 1967. The Palestinian population is roughly 4.8 million (2.9M in the West Bank, 1.9M in Gaza).
Legal Status: The international community and the ICJ regard the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as occupied territory. Israel officially refers to the area as "disputed" rather than "occupied" and calls it Judea and Samaria.
Control and Administration: Israel retains security control over the entire territory. The Palestinian Authority (PA) has limited self-rule in fragmented areas.
Settlements: Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law. The settler population has grown to over 670,000, including around 220,000 in East Jerusalem.
Security and Humanitarian Situation: Life in the West Bank continues to deteriorate amid a sustained increase in settler violence, operations by Israeli forces, and movement restrictions. From 14- 20 April UN figures show 37 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in casualties, property damage, or both. Attacks since the beginning of 2026 average 6 per day- 680 in over 200 communities.
Annexation Concerns: There is significant international opposition to Israeli annexation plans, with many nations emphasizing the need to preserve the territory for a future Palestinian state.
https://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-report-1-may-2026
