HAMILTON, Canada

The UN on Tuesday decried the "bleak" situation in the occupied West Bank, calling on Israel to ensure public order and safety.

"I can tell you that the past weeks, Israeli settlers and security forces have intensified their attacks and harassment of Palestinians, including resulting in the death of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference.

Calling the situation in the occupied West Bank "bleak," Dujarric called on "Israel to immediately stop these killings, harassment, and home demolitions across the occupied Palestinian territory."

"As the occupying power, Israel must take feasible measures to ensure public order and safety in the West Bank. They must be a thorough, independent, transparent investigation into all killings and all other alleged violations of international law," he said.

Since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, at least 998 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and illegal settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.