GAZA: The United Nations on Friday strongly condemned the Israeli strike on a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank that killed 18 people the previous day.
“The strike is part of a highly concerning pattern of unlawful use of force by ISF (Israeli security forces) during military-like operations in the West Bank that have caused widespread harm to Palestinians and significant damage to buildings and infrastructure,” the United Nations rights office in a statement said.
“This incident is another clear example of ISF’s systematic resort to lethal force in the West Bank that is frequently unnecessary, disproportionate, and therefore unlawful,” the office said, as it called for an independent probe into the incident.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, over 41,802 Palestinians, primarily children and women, have been killed since Israel launched its military offensive on October 7 in response to Hamas attacks. At least 96,844 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the onset of the Israeli campaign.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Health Committee emergency service, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, said 11 of its rescue personnel were killed in Israeli strikes in south Lebanon on Friday.
In a statement, it said seven emergency personnel died in “direct Zionist aggression on emergency teams” at the Marjayoun governmental hospital, with four others killed in two attacks elsewhere in south Lebanon.
