UN Warns of Serious Violations Amid Gaza and West Bank Crisis

The United Nations has expressed concern over continued Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and escalating settler violence in the West Bank, warning of mounting civilian casualties and growing obstacles to humanitarian operations.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said reports indicated civilians had been killed in Gaza, and that the Al-Aqsa Hospital complex had sustained damage during an Israeli strike. “We are particularly concerned about reports of civilian casualties, including a child in Gaza, as well as damage to the Al-Aqsa Hospital complex in Deir Al-Balah as a result of one of the strikes,” Dujarric told reporters at a news briefing. He reiterated the UN’s position that civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, must be protected.

Dujarric said the UN and its humanitarian partners are preparing for Gaza’s upcoming rainy season, working to address flood risks across hundreds of locations throughout the territory. However, these efforts continue to be hampered by funding shortages, Israeli restrictions on the entry and volume of materials permitted into Gaza, and shortages of engine oil, spare parts, and heavy machinery. He added that humanitarian operations are further constrained by limited access to much of Gaza, including areas that are less vulnerable to flooding and could otherwise be used to accommodate tents.

In the occupied West Bank, Dujarric said settler violence has continued across several areas, involving theft, arson, vandalism, and physical attacks. He cited an incident targeting a home in Qusra, near Nablus, located less than half a kilometer from an area where three families have been left isolated following the establishment of a new settlement outpost.

He also noted that attacks by settlers and Israeli forces near Ramallah injured 12 Palestinians and at times restricted the movement of people and vehicles, including ambulances. Dujarric said the occupied West Bank has seen a sharp increase in attacks by Israeli forces and settlers, alongside a rise in demolitions and land seizures.

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