Pakistan, July 4 -- A five-metre-high metal fence now divides Sinjil, a Palestinian town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, cutting off most access points. Heavy gates and roadblocks limit entry to a single guarded route. Residents say the fence has turned their town into a "big prison."

The Israeli military said the fence aims to stop repeated stone-throwing and disturbances near a main road, protecting civilians in the region. Despite the restrictions, officials claim residents still have "free access" through the one remaining entrance.

Sinjil's deputy mayor, Bahaa Foqaa, explained that the fence encloses 8,000 people within just 10 acres, cutting them off from 2,000 acres of privately owned farmland. Many residents relied on this la...