Guterres urges Israel to comply with international law in the midst of operations in the West Bank

The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, has urged Israel on Monday to comply with international law after this weekend has expanded the military operation in the West Bank, which will last at least one year, deploying tanks for the first time in More than two decades and forcing at least 40,000 Palestinians to flee from their homes.

“(Guterres) firmly rejects the statements of Israeli officials who indicate the intention of remaining in some areas of the north of the horn occupied during a prolonged period and refusing that the displaced Palestinians return to their homes. He urges Israel to comply with His relevant obligations under international law and that he adopts measures to protect civilians and guarantee their safety, “he said His spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, during a press conference.

The UN Chief has been “alarmed by the escalation of violence, attacks and large -scale operations of Israeli security forces in the northern provinces of the occupied West Bank, including the deployment of Israeli tanks for the first time in more than two decades. ”

“It is deeply concerned about the growing number of fatalities, including children, the growing number of displaced Palestinians and the growing reach of the destruction of civil infrastructure. It is dismayed by the fact that children remain victims of violence. These attacks and the growing violence must end, “he said.

Finally, Guterres has “urged security forces to exercise maximum moderation and use the lethal force intentionally only when it is strictly inevitable to protect life.”

Hours before, before the United Nations Human Rights Council, he warned that “violations in occupied Palestinian territory” have “shot themselves from the terrible attacks committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023”. Thus, he stressed that the situation in Gaza reflects “intolerable levels of death and destruction.” “I am seriously concerned about the growing violence in the West Bank and the calls for the annexation of the territory. In addition, we witness a precarious fire and we must avoid at all costs that there is a resumption of attacks,” he added.