The UN Is Very Worried About The Worsening Human Rights Situation In The West Bank

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The United Nations on Friday said it was "very concerned" by the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied West Bank, where dozens of people were killed and escalating cases of violence by Israeli settlers.

In addition, the United Nations also stated about arbitrary arrests of Palestinians.

"Since October 7, our office has received reports that 69 Palestinians, including at least 15 children and one woman, were killed by Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank. Yesterday, 14 Palestinians were reported killed, mostly as a result of drone attacks", said UN human rights office spokesman Ravina Shamdasani at a news conference in Geneva reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Friday, October 20.

Shamdasani stressed that the violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers was "almore increased", resulting in the death of six Palestinians by Israeli settlers, and several Palestinian families forced to leave their lands.

The number of arbitrary arrests of Palestinians of the West Bank and Arab Israel in Israel, including Palestinian activists and workers who previously worked in Israel, has increased, along with reports of abuse and lack of legal proceedings, he continued.

Shamdasani urged that this matter should be stopped immediately.

He stressed over the past two weeks - since Israel began retaliation for cross-border attacks from Gaza by Hamas on October 7- "many Palestinians in the West Bank have not gained the freedom to travel, including being barred from hospitals for life-saving treatment."

"Restrictions on freedom to travel must be as necessary and proportional to achieve legitimate goals," he added.

The conflict in Gaza, which has been bombarded and blocked by Israel since October 7, comes as Hamas begins Operation Hurricane AlAqsa, a surprise attack that includes a series of rocket launches and infiltrations to Israel by land, sea, and air.

It said the attack was retaliation for the invasion of the AlAqsa Mosque and the increasing violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers.

The Israeli military then launched the Iron Sword Operation targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as well as increasing raids and arrests in the occupied West Bank.

Since October 7, about 870 Palestinians have been detained by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, according to Amani Sarahneh, a spokesman for the Palestinian Prisoners Society.

At least 3,785 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, while the numbers reached more than 1,400 people in Israel.