2024 saw sharp decline in Palestinian terror in Judea and Samaria, despite war and incitement

New data published by Israel’s security system shows a sharp decline in Palestinian terrorism in Judea and Samaria this year, despite continuous attempts by Hamas and Iran to ignite another front against Israel from there.

In 2024, Israeli security forces registered 254 terror attacks, down from 847 last year, and 342 in the year before, Ynet News reported.

Incidents termed “popular terrorism” by Israel – meaning individual, partly spontaneous acts that aren’t directly tied to organized terror groups, such as throwing stones or Molotov cocktails – also decreased.

In 2024, 1,188 such incidents took place, compared to 3,256 in 2023 and 3,779 in 2022.

The year 2023 saw a sharp spike in attacks in the wake of the Hamas invasion and massacre on Oct. 7, which caused the IDF to reinforce troops in Judea and Samaria and to carry out several large-scale anti-terror operations in the region. These operations continued into 2024.

Overall, 497 Palestinians were killed as a result of clashes with Israeli security forces this year, compared to 594 in 2023, and 155 in 2022.

Human rights organizations and pro-Palestinian groups have decried the increase in the number of Palestinians killed by the IDF, but Israel estimates that up to 97% of the dead were actively involved in terror activities when they were killed.

In addition, the IDF’s Central Command, responsible for security in Judea and Samaria, arrested 2,350 Palestinians who are affiliated with the Hamas terrorist organization.

“Jewish nationalist crime,” meaning criminal activity by radical settlers targeting Palestinian civilians, Muslims as well as Christians, also decreased. These incidents are often referred to as “price tag” operations, ostensibly taking revenge for Palestinian terror.

In the latest example, Palestinian and Israeli media reported on Friday that radical settlers torched a mosque in the town of Marda overnight, leaving Hebrew graffiti on the walls reading “Revenge,” and quoting a verse from the Book of Psalms: “The righteous man will rejoice when he sees revenge.”

In 2024, 663 such nationalist crime incidents were recorded, compared to 1,045 in 2023 and 947 in 2022.

The official statistics do not provide an explanation for the decline in crime across Judea and Samaria. However, according to Ynet, the new regional commander, Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth, implemented an approach based on his experience: 'Terror meets the army – while citizens meet routine.'

As part of Bluth’s strategy, the IDF has sought to physically remove the terror threats as much as possible from Jewish settlements and main traffic routes. They have begun mapping out dangerous areas and separating them from areas frequented by Jewish residents, using fences and other barriers.

The IDF also moved into positions deeper into Palestinian areas to keep points of friction away from Jewish citizens in the area.

Security arrangements in Jewish settlements were also reinforced with additional infrastructure and more weapons, addressing some of the lessons learned from Oct. 7.

Israeli media recently reported that remote-controlled machine gun towers equipped with cameras, which were previously used on the Gaza border, were deployed to settlements and strategic points to improve the security response in the event of an attack.

In addition to the IDF's efforts, the Palestinian Authority has also embarked on a large-scale counter-terror operation in Jenin, which still continues.