JERUSALEM, July 23, 2026 (WAFA) — Israeli occupation forces held up hundreds of vehicles on Thursday evening at the Beit Iksa military checkpoint northwest of occupied Jerusalem after tightening military measures and subjecting vehicles to thorough inspections, causing severe traffic congestion and delaying Palestinian movement for hours.

Local sources said Israeli forces halted traffic at the checkpoint, checked Palestinians' identification cards, carried out extensive vehicle searches, and prevented a number of vehicles from passing, resulting in long lines of hundreds of vehicles stretching along the road leading to Beit Iksa and neighboring villages.

The sources added that hundreds of Palestinians, including patients, students, and employees, were forced to wait for hours in high temperatures. Some drivers resorted to rough alternative roads to bypass the closure, increasing their hardship and significantly extending travel times.

The tightened restrictions are part of Israel's policy of imposing further limitations on the movement of Palestinians in and around Jerusalem through military checkpoints, gates, and repeated closures, which on a near-daily basis hinder access to workplaces, universities, and healthcare facilities while inflicting significant economic losses.

The Beit Iksa checkpoint is one of the main military checkpoints controlling Palestinian movement northwest of Jerusalem. Israeli occupation forces frequently close the checkpoint or intensify restrictions there as part of a broader network of military checkpoints that isolates Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings and restricts freedom of movement.

M.N