UN condemns deadly West Bank airstrike, attacks on Gaza schools

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The UN chief has strongly condemned the killing of several Palestinians, including women and children, who died when a residential building in Tulkarem camp in the West Bank was hit by Israeli airstrikes on Thursday night.

At least 18 people were killed, and many more fatalities could be trapped under the rubble of the three-storied building, according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

The killings “marked yet another escalation of the violence”, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at the regular news briefing at UN Headquarters in New York on Friday.

UN chief António Guterres also called for strict compliance with international law.

“Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at times,” said Mr. Dujarric.

He also noted the UN chief’s call “to urgently come together to address the escalating cycle of violence, and work towards ending the occupation and returning to a track for the two-State solution, which remains the only just and resolution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

“The bloodshed that we are seeing must end.”

UN teams and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are coordinating a visit to the area to assess the damage and humanitarian needs.

Systematic resort to lethal force

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) also denounced attack, describing it “another clear example” of Israeli Security Forces’ (ISF) “resort to lethal force in the West Bank that is frequently unnecessary, disproportionate, and therefore unlawful.”

“The levelling of an entire building filled with people via aerial bombing shows flagrant disregard for Israel’s obligations,” OHCHR said in a statement issued on Friday.

It called for Israel to conduct a thorough, prompt, independent and transparent investigation into the incident and hold perpetrators of violations to account.

No clashes or confrontations were occurring at the site, and according to information gathered by OHCHR, most of those killed were not armed or being sought by the Israeli security forces. A majority were killed in their homes or simply passing by in the street.

Israeli forces claimed that they had killed a local Hamas leader, who was allegedly planning to carry out attacks on Israeli settlements, as well as other alleged terrorists.

Highly concerning pattern

OHCHR further noted that the strike was part of “a highly concerning pattern” of unlawful use of force by Israeli forces during military-like operations in the West Bank that have caused widespread harm to Palestinians, as well as significant damage to buildings and infrastructure.

Since 7 October 2023 – when Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups attacked communities in southern Israel – Israeli forces have killed 697 Palestinians in the West Bank, including 161 children and 12 women, according to OHCHR. Of those, 186 deaths were due to airstrikes.

In Tulkarem alone, 174 Palestinians have been killed, including 88 by airstrikes.

“Such incidents cannot become normalized as an acceptable method of law enforcement,” OHCHR stated.

Attacks against schools in Gaza

Meanwhile in Gaza, the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said on Friday that three of its schools had been hit over the previous two days, reportedly killing 20 people. The schools had been sheltering about 20,000 people.

The agency added that since the war began, more than 140 of its schools have come under attack, stressing that schools are not a target and cannot be used for any military purposes by anyone.

According to UN Children Fund’s (UNICEF) estimates, at least 87 per cent of school buildings in Gaza have been directly hit or damaged since October last year, including a third of UNRWA schools.

Humanitarians must be allowed to save lives

UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said on Wednesday they had visited the site of an attack the previous night in the Maan area, east of Khan Younis, Mr. Dujarric told journalists.

“Our colleagues report that ambulances trying to evacuate the injured could not reach them due to the ongoing incursion,” he said.

“Hours later, when first responders were finally able to access the area, their bulldozer ran out of fuel while recovering bodies from beneath the rubble.”

He reiterated that emergency teams in Gaza must have the equipment, fuel and most importantly the safe and unimpeded access they need to save lives.