Laying the Foundations for Around 800 Housing Units
Peace Now research shows that in the last three months the race is on in many settlements to make a start in construction.
Today in around 34 settlements work is taking place to lay the foundation and make construction starts - 16 of these settlements are found east of the Separation Barrier.
Peace Now estimates that the infrastructure works currently taking place in the settlements are for a total of 800 housing units (about 300 east of the fence and 500 west).
In addition, some 55 buildings are in the process of being completed and another 50 have their foundations laid. 

List of settlements where the infrastructure or construction works are taking place
Tko'a, Shilo, Kiryat Arba, Nokdim, Maskiyot, Kochav Hashchar, Ma'ale Michmash, Avnei Hefetz, Ma'ale Shomron, Ma'on, Oranit, Alon, Alon Shvut, Alonei Shilo, El'azar, Beitar Illit, Barqan, Givat Ze'ev, Dolev, Har Gilo, Talmon, Yitzhar, Kochav Ya'akov, Kfar Adumim, Kfar Etzion, Carmel, Mevo Horon, Matityahu, Na'aleh, Etz Efraim (Elkanah), Pedu'el, Tzofim, Kedar, Kalia

For the detailed list

The settlement of Ma'on in the southern Hebron Hills

Laying foundations in the settlement of Ma'ale Shomron

Prior to any freeze – the race begins!
According to media reports, the agreement being formulated between Netanyahu and the Americans over freezing settlement construction refers to the construction new buildings.
Those that have already begun their construction (2,400 units reportedly), will be considered facts on the ground and not part of the freeze.
In light of such an agreement the settlers are working fast to produce many construction “starts” as possible, resulting in that these new housing units will be counted as "existing" settlements, and not be included in any future agreed upon freeze. 

Preparing the ground for construction does not require approval of the Minister of Defense
Minister of Defense must approve any stage of the planning and execution of construction in the settlements. After all the planning stages, the explicit authorization of the Minister of Defense is required to open up the piece of land for marketing, with the Civil Administration, responsible for managing public land in the occupied territories, signing a development contract with an entrepreneur or a potential buyer.
The next stage of preparing the ground for infrastructure work can be done without the approval of Defense Minister. In many projects, infrastructure and development works are carried out by local authorities and the Ministry of Housing.
An approved project can start infrastructure work even before the marketing stage, ie without the approval of the Minister of Defense. Only at the stage when they want to sell the lots for construction, they will need the approval of the Defense Minister.
Therefore, in order to freeze construction to be effective, it is not enough to avoid new authorization on the part of the Defense Minister. An active freeze will require a government ban on all construction work, including infrastructure works in the settlements.