Israel still occupies the West Bank, captured with Gaza in a 1967 Middle East war. More than 70 Palestinians have been killed in West Bank violence since Oct. 7 and Israel has arrested more than 800 people. Hamas cited attacks on West Bank Palestinians and arrests this year as part of its reason for attacking on Oct. 7. But the arrests have also limited West Bank violence, said Mustafa al-Khawaja, a 52-year-old anti-settlement activist. WEST BANK A COMPLEX PATCHWORKWhile Hamas tightly controls besieged Gaza, the West Bank is a complex patchwork of hillside cities, Israeli settlements and army checkpoints that split Palestinian communities.

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Persons: Ali Sawafta, John Davison, Israel, Jonathan Conricus, Salah, Mowafaq Sehweel, Nizar Mughrabi, Netanyahu, Haniyeh, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ismail Haniyeh, Mustafa al, Khawaja, Mughrabi, Mahmoud Abbas's PA, Abbas, Israel's, Fatah, Hadi al, Masri, Lior Akerman, Shin, Akerman, Howard Goller Organizations: West Bank, Gaza, Hamas, Palestinian Authority, Reuters, Fatah, Bank, Palestinian, UN Locations: John Davison RAMALLAH, JERUSALEM, Israel, Lebanon, Gaza, Iran, West Bank, Lebanese, Ramallah, Jerusalem