Israel’s West Bank Road Closures Cause Long Delays for Palestinians

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are facing increasingly difficult journeys as Israeli military checkpoints, roadblocks and closures disrupt access to hospitals, schools, workplaces and other essential services.

The restrictions have also affected emergency medical care. Al Jazeera reported the case of 66-year-old Zahriya Abu Hijleh, who collapsed during a wedding in Deir Istiya on September 20. Doctors ordered her transfer to Salfit Governmental Hospital, only about eight minutes away, but an Israeli-controlled gate prevented the ambulance from entering the town.

She had to be transferred between two ambulances at the closed gate. Her family said she later died after suffering a pulmonary embolism, with her son Mohammed Abu Hijleh blaming the delay in receiving treatment.

The current West Bank closure, which began on September 27 and is scheduled to continue until October 3, coincides with the Jewish festival of Sukkot.

Other Palestinians have reported spending many hours trapped on roads. Ibtihal Mansour said she and her family expected a 45-minute journey from al-Janiya near Ramallah to Nablus but became stranded after checkpoints and roads were closed. They remained on the road for more than 14 hours before being forced to spend the night in Ramallah.

According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, there were 942 checkpoints, closure points and other obstacles across the occupied West Bank as of September 25, compared with 793 in March 2024. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that the obstacles cover about 107.7km.

In Hebron, restrictions have also affected access to the Ibrahimi Mosque, while in occupied East Jerusalem, Palestinians face restrictions on movement and access to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Jewish holidays.

Al Jazeera said it contacted Israeli authorities for a response to the allegations concerning the closures and restrictions but had not received a response at the time of publication.

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