Comment by UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on West Bank violence

A major operation by Israeli security forces (ISF) in the occupied West Bank risks seriously deepening the already catastrophic situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Israel’s operations in Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarm today, and the killing of at least nine Palestinians, two of them reportedly children, take the overall death toll in the West Bank since 7 October to 637. This represents the highest number of fatalities over a period of eight months since the UN first started recording casualties in the West Bank two decades ago.

Many children have been killed while throwing stones at highly protected ISF, as have other Palestinians posing no imminent threat to life or serious injury. Such unnecessary or disproportionate use of force and the increase in apparent targeted and other summary killings are alarming.

Thousands of Palestinians have been arbitrarily arrested and tortured, subjected to unrelenting settler violence, severe restrictions on movement and expression, their homes and property destroyed or seized, and forcibly displaced.

Israel, as the occupying power, must abide by its obligations under international law. The Israeli security forces’ use of airstrikes and other military weapons and tactics violates human rights norms and standards applicable to law enforcement operations. Alleged unlawful killings must be thoroughly and independently investigated and those responsible held to account.