Rising Toll: Israeli soldiers fire tear gas at Palestinian demonstrators in Hebron on the occupied West Bank, where killings of Palestinians tripled in 2013. Image by Getty Images

Three times as many Palestinians were killed in the West Bank in 2013 as were in the previous year, according to an Israeli human rights watchdog.

Israeli security forces killed 27 Palestinians in the West Bank in 21 separate incidents, and killed nine Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in seven incidents, according to a report issued by B’Tselem on Tuesday.

By comparison, in 2012, Israeli security forces killed 8 Palestinians in the West Bank and 246 in Gaza, including 167 during Operation Pillar of Defense. In previous years, from 2003, most Palestinian fatalities occurred in the Gaza Strip.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The B’Tselem report separated the Israeli civilian casualties from military ones.

Palestinians killed three Israeli civilians in 2013, two in the West Bank and one near the Gaza border fence. In 2012, four Israeli civilians were killed in Israel by Palestinians who launched rockets and shells from Gaza, and no Israeli civilians were killed by Palestinians in the West Bank. In 2013 Palestinians also killed three Israeli security forces personnel, according to the report.

“The sharp rise in fatalities in the West Bank only serves to intensify concern about lack of accountability,” B’Tselem Director Jessica Montell said in a statement.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount