A UN official said 2022 was the deadliest year since 2006 for the West Bank. The Israeli occupation forces have killed at least 105 Palestinians, including 26 children, so far.
On Wednesday, the United Nations described this year (2022) as the deadliest year in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 2006.
"The year 2022 will be the deadliest year for the Palestinian residents of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 2006 on the basis of a monthly average," Lucia Elmi, Acting Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory at the United Nations, said in a statement.
She added: "At least 105 Palestinians, including 26 children, have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the beginning of the year."
And the UN official added: "The monthly average number of Palestinian casualties has increased by 57% compared to the previous year."
In return, she noted, "Palestinians from the West Bank killed ten Israeli civilians, three foreigners and four Israeli soldiers in 2022."
She said: "Since the beginning of October alone, Israeli forces have killed 15 Palestinians, including 6 children, during search and arrest operations, exchanges of fire or confrontations between them and Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, often following settler attacks. on Palestinian villages or storming them.
However, "in some cases, these victims did not appear to pose a tangible or imminent threat that justified the use of lethal force, which raises concerns about the excessive use of force."
"In addition to this alarming situation, the United Nations is concerned about the increasing restrictions on movement," Elmi noted.
"Earlier in the month, after two Israeli soldiers were shot and killed at two checkpoints in Nablus (in the northern West Bank) and East Jerusalem, Israeli forces imposed severe restrictions on movement, limiting many people's access to health care, education and livelihoods," she said.
Elmi added: "These restrictions have been lifted to a large extent in the Shuafat refugee camp (north of Jerusalem), but they are still imposed on Nablus, and Hawara, which is one of the few access points to the city of Nablus, witnessed an increase in the intensity and frequency of settler violence."
"The Israeli authorities have a legal responsibility to ensure the protection of all Palestinians, and this includes ensuring that measures are taken that do not disproportionately affect people."
"De-escalation is critical to avoid further loss of life, to protect civilians, and to ensure access to basic humanitarian services," she added.
The Israeli authorities did not comment on the statement of the UN official.
Since the beginning of this year, the West Bank and East Jerusalem have witnessed continuous tension between the Palestinians on one side and the Israeli army and settlers on the other.
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