The UN has issued a stark warning over the displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians in the West Bank within a single year, calling the trend 'unprecedented' and potentially amounting to ethnic cleansing.
A UN rights report covering the 12 months up to October 31, 2025, found that Israel's accelerated settlement expansion-approved for 36,973 units in East Jerusalem and 27,200 elsewhere-has driven mass forced transfers. Over 84 new settler outposts were established, pushing the total past 300.
UN rights chief Volker Turk demanded an immediate halt to settlement growth, evacuation of settlers, and return of displaced Palestinians. He emphasized that unlawful transfer violates the Fourth Geneva Convention and may constitute a war crime or crime against humanity.
Settler violence surged, with 1,732 documented incidents causing casualties and damage-up from 1,400 the previous year. At least six Palestinians have been killed since March amid rising tensions following the October 7 Hamas attack and ongoing regional conflict.