Aid workers assess damage after a raid in Jenin, West Bank (July 2023). UN chief calls on Israel to immediately stop attacks on West Bank Peace and Security
With the situation in the West Bank escalating and the war in Gaza continuing, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an “immediate end” to Israeli military operations in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Guterres made the statement amid one of the largest Israeli security operations in the West Bank in years. According to Israeli officials, the actions, which include military raids, airstrikes and drones, are aimed at terrorists. Palestinian media reported that 17 people were killed in the operation. The Secretary-General strongly condemned the loss of life, particularly that of children.
A meeting of the Security Council has been convened by the United Kingdom as the crisis in the Middle East escalates, to be held in New York later on Thursday.
West Bank Crisis
Guterres said the latest developments “fuel an already volatile situation in the occupied West Bank and further undermine the Palestinian Authority.”
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The UN chief also called for the “status quo” to be maintained at Jerusalem’s holy sites, expressing deep concern over “recent dangerous and provocative actions and statements” by Israel’s national security minister following his visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the site known in Jewish tradition as the Temple Mount.
The secretary-general said Israeli forces must abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, including “protecting civilians and ensuring their safety, and exercising maximum restraint and using lethal force only when absolutely unavoidable.” In addition, all those injured in Israeli operations must have access to medical care, and medics must be able to reach everyone who needs it.
Polio in Gaza
Meanwhile, in Gaza, UN humanitarian agencies have confirmed that a mass polio campaign aimed at vaccinating all children under the age of 10 is set to begin this weekend.
Poor sanitation and constant evacuation orders have led to the spread of numerous preventable diseases in the strip, including polio.
At least 3,000 workers will be involved in the vaccination campaign. More than 640,000 children under 10 years of age will receive two doses of oral polio vaccine type 2.