In a statement, the Palestinian group said the latest authorisation, along with earlier expansions, represented a “dangerous escalation” and reflected Israel’s policy of “creeping annexation” and systematic land seizure.
Hamas added that the settlement push aimed to advance a project of forced displacement and the removal of the indigenous Palestinian population, warning that such actions further entrench occupation and undermine prospects for peace.
Israel approves nearly 800 illegal housing units in West Bank settlements
Israel has given final approval for 764 housing units to be built in three illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said.
The far-right politician, who acts as de facto governor of the West Bank and opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, said he will “continue the revolution”.
He said that since he came to power in late 2022, some 51,370 housing units have been approved in the West Bank to curtail future Palestinian statehood.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said a review of state documents and leaks has revealed what it described as “historic” transformations in the West Bank under Smotrich, with record numbers of Palestinians driven from their land and homes, which are subsequently transferred to Israeli state control and turned into settlements.
