The West Bank today feels less like a region and more like a prison under open sky. This land, home to millions of Palestinians, is tightly restricted and monitored by Israeli control. The so-called walls of this prison aren’t built with bricks, but with countless military checkpoints — 898 in total — that block roads, villages, and lives. These invisible chains have turned everyday existence into an endless cycle of waiting, suffering, and fear. Every step Palestinians take must pass through checkpoints, where they face not only arbitrary searches and long delays but often outright humiliation and violence.
Medical emergencies don’t escape this brutal reality either. Ambulances carrying critically ill patients are often delayed for hours at these barriers. Children miss school because the gates stay closed. The military presence at every turn has deeply infected the entire region with a sense of being trapped in a prison under open sky, where nothing moves freely — not even time. Every Palestinian family feels this oppression, waking each day to uncertainty, only to be met by steel gates, armed soldiers, and blocked paths.
For decades, Israel has expanded its settlement colonization plans across the West Bank. These plans rely heavily on checkpoints as tools of control. The occupying forces have not only increased the number of these barriers over the years but have also built settlements, bypass roads, and towering walls across the 5,655 square kilometers of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. These structures slice through communities, turning once-connected neighborhoods into isolated patches of land.
Since the violent assault on Gaza began on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have ramped up their control over the West Bank. More metal detector gates and both permanent and temporary checkpoints have appeared in towns and at city entrances. According to the Palestinian Human Rights Commission, since January 19, 2025, Israeli forces installed 17 new metal gates and several temporary checkpoints, tightening their grip. As of now, the total number of checkpoints stands at 898, with Hebron suffering the most — 229 checkpoints. Ramallah, Nablus, and Jerusalem also face heavy restrictions. These blockades cut Palestinians off from each other, trapping them within their own cities in a vast prison under open sky.
The suffering of Palestinians doesn’t end with their confinement. They also live in constant fear of death. Though missiles and airstrikes have devastated Gaza, the West Bank sees daily killings through bullets. From January 21 to May 16, 2025, Israeli forces killed 91 Palestinians, including 13 children and three women, according to the rights group Al-Haq. The destruction of homes and infrastructure is widespread, especially in Jenin, Tulkarem, Tubas, and Nablus, where at least 430 buildings have been destroyed, forcing around 16,000 people from their homes.
Even traveling is dangerous. Around 79 kilometers of road are strictly for Israeli use, off-limits to Palestinians. Those who dare to use them risk fines, arrest, or attacks. On other roads, endless traffic jams caused by checkpoints turn short trips into day-long journeys. A bus driver named Rakan Saeed shared that what once took one hour now takes six. He lamented that the time he spends stuck on the road could get him all the way to Paris. The daily grind has turned each ride into a punishing experience.
For many, getting past a checkpoint has become a painful battle. Ahmed Hassan, who works in Israel while his wife and children attend school in nearby Beit Hanina, said that their ten-minute commute now begins at 3:30 a.m. to beat the brutal morning rush at the Jaba checkpoint. If they leave even slightly later, they may be trapped for hours. By the time they return home, even lunchtime is gone. They only have the night to rest before repeating the ordeal. Their entire life is shaped by checkpoint traffic. They are mentally and physically broken, feeling imprisoned within their daily routine.
Hebron, in particular, has been described by its mayor, Taysir Abu Saneih, as another Guantanamo Bay. The Israeli forces have locked down the city with iron gates and heavy restrictions, choking off movement and cutting off every entrance. Markets have emptied, and the economy has collapsed. Transportation is at a standstill, and businesses are dying, leaving Hebron’s citizens trapped inside a city that no longer breathes.
Beyond the gates and roadblocks, Palestinian lives are further threatened by Israeli settlers who, backed by the army, harass and attack civilians. Since seizing West Bank lands after the 1967 war, settlers have built illegal communities and frequently assault Palestinians. Driver Atiyat mentioned that they now travel in groups for safety, as settlers are less likely to attack convoys. Still, homes are often targeted. In the city of Brookin, settlers burned several Palestinian vehicles during a night raid, as reported by AFP.
The violence is not limited to homes or roads. Public executions have become horrifyingly common. In Nablus, posters now mourn Walid Hussein, who was dragged from his car and shot by Israeli soldiers. In the city of Deir Sharaf, where a checkpoint was set up in late 2022, such brutality has increased. The mayor, Shadi Abu Halaweh, reported that two people have been killed and three seriously injured by soldiers at that checkpoint alone.
Palestinian women face their own share of suffering. In Hebron, many have reported daily harassment at checkpoints. These experiences are often humiliating and traumatic. Women are forced to remove clothing or hijabs under the guise of “security checks.” Some have been photographed against their will. These abusive practices have left deep scars, making daily life unbearable for many women.
Still, Palestinians are trying to find ways to survive within this prison under open sky. To ease their suffering, they are turning to technology. Mobile applications such as Darub Navigator and Azmeh now help people avoid congested or dangerous areas. These apps show which roads are blocked, which ones are safe, and where alternatives exist. Azmeh, which originally launched in 2015 and was shut down under Israeli pressure, returned in 2023 and now has nearly 70,000 users. During the early days of the Gaza war, around 8,000 Palestinians downloaded it daily. These tools have become essential in navigating a life where every street corner may be a trap.
The reality of the West Bank today is far from peaceful. It is not just a matter of occupation, but of daily oppression, restrictions, and fear. The prison under open sky remains firmly in place, its invisible chains growing tighter with every checkpoint and every loss.
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