Sometimes you must state the obvious, particularly when the obvious must serve as a moral compass. So here is the obvious: Most of the people who live in the Gaza Strip are civilians. Civilians who are not involved in hostilities directed at Israel, otherwise referred to as “innocent civilians.” 

Duh, you might say. Is that even debatable? Well, it is being debated, and not only by social media keyboard warriors but by elected officials on Capitol Hill. Even by Israel’s president Yitzhak Herzog, an otherwise moderate dove.

As the war in Gaza continues, and the Israel-Lebanon border heats up, there are also rising tensions in the West Bank, with a shocking increase in settler violence that threatens to destabilize an increasingly volatile situation.

According to the Israeli human rights organization, Yesh Din, in the month following the October 7 terror attack, 163 Palestinians were killed by settlers and Israeli security forces in the West Bank and more than 900 adults and children were forcibly driven from their homes following settler violence. These actions constitute a violation of human rights, threaten to inflame an already dangerous situation, and endanger the possibility of a two-state solution.

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

While the world’s attention is focused on Israel’s dual-front war, in Gaza and on its northern border, tensions in the West Bank are surging. Violent settlers are taking advantage of the crisis to attack West Bank Palestinians, Israeli government ministers are advancing additional budgets to the settlements and advancing settlement planning. West Bank Palestinian violence is on the rise and so is IDF tough action against Palestinian militants and demonstrators.

In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Americans for Peace Now’s President and CEO Hadar Susskind urges the administration to push for a humanitarian pause in the Israel-Hamas war and to intensify its diplomatic efforts to protect the lives of civilians impacted by the current crisis.

In addition, the letter calls for fuel to relief agencies in the Gaza Strip to be included in any humanitarian aid. “Without an adequate supply of fuel to UNRWA, the humanitarian assistance permitted to enter Gaza essentially becomes worthless, exacerbating the suffering of the already vulnerable population,” the letter says, explaining that fuel is vital for distributing the humanitarian supplies provided for Gazan civilians. 

APN calls for the immediate release of all hostages and urges the administration to expedite the delivery of additional assistance, pushing for a humanitarian pause pending measures to spare civilians, establishing a humanitarian corridor to enable safe passage of civilians away from northern Gaza, and other measures to prevent further civilian deaths.