West Bank situation remains 'deeply alarming': UN

​​​​​​WASHINGTON

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Thursday warned about the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank.

"Especially in the northern part of the West Bank, our humanitarian colleagues are warning that the situation remains deeply alarming, with partners telling us that what they see on the ground from displacement to demolished homes to damaged streets due to the continuing operations being conducted by the Israeli security forces," Dujarric told reporters.

The UN underscores that international law must be respected at all times, and civilians must be protected, he added.

On the Gaza Strip, Dujarric said the UN continues to warn that the "already catastrophic" situation on the ground risks deteriorating unless the flow of aid resumes without delay.

Tension has been running high across the West Bank, where at least 930 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 injured in attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers since the start of the Gaza war on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.