The Red Cross calls for urgent protection of civilians in the West Bank
Agencies2 min read
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The International Committee of the Red Cross has called for urgent protection for civilians in the West Bank, warning that escalating violence, increasing movement restrictions, and the accelerating pace of settlement expansion are causing severe damage to civilians and making their daily lives unbearable.
The Committee said in a statement today, Tuesday, that dozens of Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured this year, while many have been displaced and homes and properties have been damaged or destroyed, leaving many homeless or without a source of income.
The head of the International Committee's mission in the occupied territories, Julien Larereson, explained that it is necessary to put an end to the repeated and severe acts of violence, stressing the responsibility of the authorities to protect the population from acts of violence committed by settlers, to respect international humanitarian law, to protect public and private property, and to ensure that the population has access to basic services.
He added that movement restrictions hinder access to healthcare for the sick, children's access to schools, and isolate the population from their homes and sources of livelihood, while ambulances are sometimes delayed for hours at checkpoints and roadblocks.
He stressed that Israel, as the occupying power in the West Bank, has responsibilities towards Palestinians as protected persons under international humanitarian law, including protecting them from acts of violence or threats thereof, and restoring and maintaining public order and civil life.
Larereson emphasized that respect for international humanitarian law and obligations under occupation law is necessary to restore the integrity and dignity of the population, including protecting civilians from violence and halting the expansion of civilian settlements.
