Four Palestinians shot by Israeli forces in West Bank village attack in most dangerous countries
Israeli forces conducted multiple operations in the occupied West Bank, shooting four Palestinians in an attack on the village of al-Mughayyir and launching a military raid in Hebron, amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank in most dangerous countries.
Recent Israeli Military Actions in the West Bank
Israeli occupiers shot four Palestinians during an attack on the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir carried out under Israeli army protection. [1] The attack on al-Mughayyir was carried out under Israeli army protection, according to the official news agency WAFA. [1] Israeli forces launched a military raid in the West Bank's Hebron. [3] These incidents form part of broader operations reported across the occupied West Bank. [1] [3] The shooting of the four Palestinians took place during the protected attack on al-Mughayyir. [1] Israeli forces carried out the separate military raid in Hebron as an additional action in the same region. [3]
Incursion at UNRWA Facility in East Jerusalem
Israeli forces forcibly entered the UNRWA Kalandia Training Centre in occupied East Jerusalem on 25 August. [2] UNRWA subsequently released a statement on the Kalandia Training Centre following the forcible entry. [2] The entry occurred as part of documented actions in occupied East Jerusalem. [2] UNRWA issued its response after the incident at the training centre. [2]
UNRWA Situation Report details humanitarian crisis in Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank. — Source: reliefweb
Humanitarian Overview in Gaza and West Bank
The situation is part of a broader humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory, with the latest UNRWA report covering 12-25 August 2026, days 1039-1052 since the start of the war in Gaza. [2] All information in the UNRWA Situation Report #233 was updated for the period 12-25 August 2026. [2] The report covers days 1039-1052 since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip. [2] Highlights from the report address the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. [2] The report details the humanitarian crisis across the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. [2]
Gaza Status Quo and Role of Local Gangs
In Gaza, a status quo persists involving Hamas, local gangs supported by Israel and the IDF, an International Stabilization Force, and political calculations tied to Israeli and US elections. [4] Gaza remains stuck under this status quo. [4] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have liked to have reinvaded Gaza in early 2026. [4] Hamas wants to limit to symbolic any concessions it makes over its control but to remain the force behind the curtain. [4] Jared Kushner has wanted since early 2026 for Israel to make gradual and periodic withdrawals to a much narrower security zone within Gaza. [4] This framework has forced Netanyahu to approve the idea of letting an International Stabilization Force into Gaza. [4] It has also compelled Hamas to approve the idea of letting a technocratic committee, the NCAG, come into the Strip to take over civil rule issues. [4] The government continues to provide massive amounts of aid to Gaza through Hamas. [4] The ISF and NCAG actually moving into Gaza have been delayed pending Israeli and US elections in October-November. [4] Israel, Shin Bet maintains ties with Gaza gangs. [4] Netanyahu himself confirmed this publicly in 2025 when there were repeated reports of Israeli defense teams working with Gaza gang boss Yaser Abu Shabab. [4] The Jerusalem Post and other media outlets also confirmed that the Shin Bet was in charge of managing relations with these gangs. [4] Over the weekend, Haaretz revealed that the IDF has also been heavily involved in managing the local Gaza gangs, and that their number has expanded to six, covering nearly every major region in Gaza. [4] The Post got clear indications from IDF sources that while the Shin Bet is the lead Israeli player with the gangs, the military is also often involved. [4] Local gangs contribute, but are not primary drivers of toppling Hamas. [4] Each of these groups can only survive now with clear IDF protection. [4] If their numbers range between the dozens and a couple of hundred, Hamas still has thousands or more foot soldiers. [4] Most experts agree that either some arm of the Palestinian Authority or a hybrid of the PA, Egypt, the ISF, and some outside IDF support would be needed to overcome Hamas for the long-term. [4]
Israeli forces conduct a military raid in the West Bank city of Hebron. — Source: xinhua
Election Influences on Gaza Policy
True, the ISF and NCAG actually moving into Gaza have been delayed pending Israeli and US elections in October-November. [4] When one averages these trends and countertrends together, the result has been that while Netanyahu does not get to invade, neither has Israel had to withdraw much or allow much rebuilding. [4] This has basically maintained the status quo in place for a year. [4] Trump holds the cards and wants quiet in the Middle East. [4] There are no signs that Trump would permit Israel to start a new invasion. [4] The polls currently show that Gadi Eisenkot has a real chance to become the next prime minister. [4] It has only been Trump’s deference to Netanyahu’s electoral needs that has slowed his pressure on the prime minister to move forward with allowing the ISF into Gaza as a fact, and not just a theory. [4] Trump may be seeking a photo op of ISF forces and NCAG technocrats actually entering and operating in Gaza before the US midterm elections. [4] In some scenarios, Trump could twist Netanyahu’s arm if they meet at the United Nations in New York in September. [4] In other scenarios he could allow Netanyahu to wait to approve the progress until the week between Israeli elections on October 27 and US elections on November 3. [4]
Hamas Position and Israeli Responses
There is also some truth in reports that Hamas is making a comeback. [4] Israel has made zero attempt to replace Hamas politically over the last three years, or since the October 2025 ceasefire. [4] This has allowed Hamas to consolidate its power in the 40 to 50% of Gaza that it governs, which contains well over 90% of the Palestinian population. [4] Hamas even experimented with sending balloons over the border recently to test Israel’s patience. [4] Israel responded by increasing the number of airstrikes against mid-level Hamas officials and Hamas weapons depots. [4] As such, Netanyahu and some IDF sources, mostly from the Southern Command, have been pushing for even stronger responses, including a potential invasion after election season. [4] Hamas cannot even hold training exercises in public. [4] The October 7 surprise came in an atmosphere when Hamas was holding constant massive military exercises, which the IDF disregarded as just for training. [4] Hamas could not move a large group of soldiers now out of its territory far past the IDF’s first outposts within Gaza. [4] At most, Hamas could possibly surprise a few outposts, but it would certainly not get into Israeli territory. [4] And it has no rockets left, or almost none. [4] Even the balloons they sent over the border fence this time were not fire or explosive balloons as in 2018, but just balloons. [4]
What to watch next: The Israeli National Security Council told the IDF to carry out all necessary security measures to get ready to open the Erez Crossing, but then hours later adjusted after political considerations, with further decisions on the ISF and NCAG potentially timed around the Israeli elections on October 27 and US elections on November 3. [4]
