REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta Acquire Licensing RightsRAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct 11 (Reuters) - As Israel declared war on Hamas and pounded Gaza following Saturday's devastating attack by the Islamist movement, violence has risen in the occupied West Bank, risking escalation after more than a year of continuous flare-ups.
The Israeli military has said it is prepared for an escalation in the West Bank and its forces have been on high alert, carrying out arrests and thwarting possible attacks.
By Wednesday, military checkpoints remained closed and roads in several parts of the West Bank were blocked with mounds of dirt, restricting movement.
With uncertainty growing around who will replace the PA's unpopular octogenarian president, Hamas has been making efforts to expand its influence in the West Bank.
Violence in the West Bank had already been surging, with stepped up Israeli military raids, settler assaults on Palestinian towns and a spate of Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis.
Persons:
Odeh, Raneen, Israel, Daniel Hagari, Fatah, Mohammad Shtayyeh, Mahmoud Abbas, Nick Macfie
Organizations:
West Bank, REUTERS, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian, UN, Thomson
Locations:
Nablus, RAMALLAH, West, Gaza, Qusra, West Bank, Judea, Samaria, East Jerusalem, U.S, ISRAEL, Israel, Palestinian, Jerusalem