Deadly violence and forced displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank have been escalating since 2022 but the events of 7 October 2023 marked a further inflection point. Since then, the Israeli authorities widescale movements restrictions with checkpoints multiplying across the territory, new curfews restrictions in certain areas, and limited access to permits to enter Israel and occupied East Jerusalem. In addition, physical violence and harassment by both the Israeli army and settlers have increased in intensity and frequency over the past two years, according to the United Nations.



In this ever-more coercive environment, psychological trauma, physical injuries, loss of livelihood and lack of access to fundamental human necessities (e.g. water) have become an everyday reality for too many Palestinians. Movement restrictions and escalation of violence have further hindered Palestinians’ access to health care and harmed their mental and physical health. It is also precipitating Palestinians to flee their homes in what may amount to forcible transfer and is considered a war crime under international humanitarian law. According to OCHA, in 2023, about 4,000 Palestinians were displaced due to policies and practices implemented by the Israeli authorities or Israeli settlers; the highest ever recorded number for a single year since the UN started to systematically collect this data in 2009.1



In Hebron governorate, south of West Bank, MSF witnesses first-hand the impact of the coercive and oppressive environment on Palestinians’ health. MSF has been providing mental health care in Hebron governorate, including H2 area2, since 1996. Since 2021, MSF also started providing medical and mental health services via mobile clinics to the residents of the South Hebron Hills. As of end of 2023, MSF teams have scaled-up their activities by increasing mobile clinics from 5 to 15 locations to reach displaced communities and communities cut off from care. The teams are also supporting 4 primary healthcare clinics, the Halhul hospital maternity department, as well as the Halhul and Al Mohtaseb hospital emergency departments.



In this new report, “Occupied lives: the Risk of Forcible Transfer of Palestinians in Hebron”, which draws on medical and operational data collected by our teams in Hebron between June 2023 and May 2024, MSF documents numerous cases of severe barriers to health care, deliberate violence against civilians, lack/loss of access to fundamental necessities and possible forced transfer, making the everyday life of Palestinians unbearable.