JERUSALEM 

As Israel's war on Gaza continued, killing over 38,000 Palestinians in nearly nine months, Tel Aviv also continued to take “illegal steps” in the occupied West Bank, with the left-wing Israeli movement Peace Now saying on Thursday that the government has "legalized" three more settlement outposts. 

“The Higher Planning Council (HPC) approved today and yesterday the advancement of 5,295 housing units in dozens of settlements throughout the West Bank,” Peace Now said in a statement.

“The building plans include the expansion of settlements deep within the West Bank and the legalization of three outposts (without connection to the 5 outposts approved by the Cabinet last week,” the statement added.

According to Israeli estimates, more than 720,000 Israelis reside in settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced the seizure of 12,715 dunams (1 dunam = 1,000 square meters) of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.

Settlement outposts are small communities established by illegal Israeli settlers on privately owned Palestinian land without approval from the Israeli government.  

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala