Health Facilities Used For Detention And Interrogation, UNRWA Warns Israel

Israeli troops in the West Bank. (Source: IDF)

JAKARTA - The United Nations Agency for Assistance and Work for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) warned that facilities under the United Nations cannot be contested and protected by international law, criticizing the occupation of their facilities by Israeli forces.

In a statement on its website UNRWA said Israel Security Forces (ISF) used the UNRWA Arroub Camp Health Center (near Bethlehem) as a temporary detention ground during search and arrest operations on February 12.

"The ISF forcibly entered the health center, using it for detention and interrogation of dozens of Palestinians arrested at the camp," UNRWA said in a statement on its website, as quoted February 14.

UNRWA said this was a new development in blatant neglect of the United Nations facility access rights.

Furthermore, it is said that the incident has recently followed a pattern of forced entry into the UNRWA installation in the West Bank since October 2023, both by Israeli security forces and Palestinian armed groups.

"All UN places cannot be contested and protected under international law," UNRWA said.

Quoted from Newsflare, Israeli forces stormed the UNRWA health center in the Al-Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron on February 12. It resulted in damage to some of its facilities and contents.

Local sources reported that Israeli forces stormed a UN-run clinic, damaging medical equipment and equipment.

In line with the enactment of laws prohibiting UNRWA from operating in Israeli territory and contact with the agency passed by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) on January 30, UNRWA was no longer able to cooperate with Israeli officials, directly reporting and resolving conflicts when the incident occurred.