UN reports surge in settler violence against Palestinians in West Bank

Geneva [Switzerland], July 16: The UN Human Rights Office has raised the alarm over a sharp rise in attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
According to the office in Geneva, 96 Palestinians were injured in June alone - the highest monthly figure in over two decades. Hundreds of homes were also destroyed.
Since the beginning of this year, the UN has documented 757 settler attacks that resulted in Palestinian casualties or property damage - a 13% increase compared to the same period in 2024, a spokesman said on Tuesday.
These actions, the spokesman added, are contributing to the ongoing consolidation of Israel's annexation of parts of the West Bank, a practice deemed illegal under international law. The forced displacement of civilians in occupied territories may constitute a crime against humanity, the office warned.
Child killed by gunshot to the head
Israeli security forces have used force against unarmed individuals in the West Bank, the UN office said.
The spokesman cited the case of a 2-year-old Palestinian child who was shot in the head and killed in January, and a 61-year-old man who was fatally shot while riding a bicycle in July.
Since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed 964 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to UN figures. Nearly 3,000 homes have been demolished, often on the grounds that they lacked building permits, even though such permits are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain, the spokesman said.
In the same period, 35 Israelis in the West Bank and 18 more inside Israel have been killed in Palestinian attacks or clashes. UN criticizes Israeli plans for displacement camp in Gaza The UN Human Rights Office also condemned Israeli government plans for a designated zone in southern Gaza meant to house displaced Palestinians. Israel has referred to the site as a "humanitarian city," but the UN says the project could amount to forced relocation, which is prohibited under international law.
Palestinians ordered to move there would be at risk of arbitrary detention, and the proposed relocation could not be described as voluntary, the spokesman said, noting that with basic infrastructure destroyed, people would have no real choice in their movements.
Source: Qatar Tribune