UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the escalation of settler violence in the West Bank and the decision by Israeli occupation authorities to impose a comprehensive closure on Palestinian gatherings, warning of the repercussions of these measures on the movement of populations and their access to basic services and livelihoods.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, during his daily press conference, conveyed Guterres's condemnation of the escalation of Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians, emphasizing the need for Israel, as the occupying Power, to fulfill its responsibilities under international law, protect the Palestinian population, and hold perpetrators of assaults accountable.
For his part, Guterres expressed concern over reports of house demolitions and the potential displacement of Palestinians in the city of Hebron, and renewed his call for all parties to immediately cease acts of violence and exercise restraint, and to refrain from taking measures that could increase tensions, stressing the necessity of protecting civilians.
The Secretary-General also expressed concern over the continued loss of civilian lives in the Gaza Strip, including children, and the restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid as winter approaches, emphasizing the importance of ensuring aid delivery.
UN: Israeli closure exacerbates Palestinian suffering
For her part, Meena Sheikh, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stated that the comprehensive closure imposed on the West Bank is part of a pattern of collective punishment that recurs following attacks carried out by Palestinians against settlers or Israeli soldiers.
Sheikh explained that occupation authorities closed the entrances and exits of the city of Hebron, as well as the Ibrahimi Mosque to worshippers, preventing them from performing Friday prayers, noting that these measures restrict freedom of movement and make it more difficult for Palestinians to access basic services.
More than 160 settler attacks in two weeks
In the same context, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned of the escalation of Israeli settler attacks coinciding with the olive harvest season, documenting more than 160 attacks during the first two weeks of October.
The Office noted in a statement that the attacks included the firing of live ammunition, arson, theft of crops, and damage to olive trees and orchards, pointing out that movement restrictions prevent thousands of Palestinian farmers from accessing their lands and harvesting their crops.
Palestinian villages and cities in the West Bank are facing continuous settler attacks, which have recently escalated coinciding with the olive harvest season, which began in early October and constitutes a primary source of livelihood for thousands of Palestinian families.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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