US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed concern that the latest spate of violence by illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank could spill over and undermine US-backed peace efforts in Gaza.
"I hope not," Rubio told reporters after a meeting of the Group of Seven foreign ministers in Canada, when asked whether the occupied West Bank events could endanger the Gaza ceasefire.
"We don't expect it to. We'll do everything we can to make sure it doesn't happen."
Escalated Violence
Illegal settlers violence in the occupied West Bank has sharply escalated over the past two years, particularly since the Gaza genocide began in October 2023.
Armed Israeli settlers — often backed or accompanied by soldiers — have carried out attacks on Palestinian communities, including shootings, arson, home demolitions, and the destruction of crops and property.
UN agencies and major human rights groups have documented a significant rise in incidents, noting that settlers have forcibly displaced entire Palestinian villages.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that dozens of communities have been emptied or partially abandoned due to repeated attacks and intimidation.
