Dozens of Palestinian children have been unable to attend school this week in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after a barbed wire fence was erected across their usual path, which villagers say was put up by Jewish settlers. Kristy Kilburn reports.

Village council head Khalil Hatalin said the blocked route is the only safe passage for children. With access cut off, they are being forced to take a more dangerous alternative path that passes close to settlements, raising serious concerns about their safety.

He said that for a second consecutive day, children have been unable to go to school because settlers have closed their route. According to him, the Israeli side has suggested an alternative الطريق, but it is both long and highly unsafe. He stressed that villagers are insisting on using the main route, which children have always used to travel to school.

Human rights organisations view the incident as part of a broader strategy. They claim that settlers and Israeli forces are working together to intimidate Palestinians and pressure them to leave the area, which they describe as amounting to ethnic cleansing.

Since the start of Israel’s ground operations in the West Bank, restrictions on Palestinian movement have continued to increase. The introduction of new checkpoints, roadblocks and the expansion of settlements have further complicated daily life.

Although the international community considers these settlements illegal, their expansion has not been halted. The impact is being felt most directly by ordinary civilians, particularly children.