November 05, 2024 09:23 (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Pakistan's Lahore has become world's most polluted city with an AQI of 1900 on Sunday | Indian Army 'successfully completes' patrolling to a key point in Ladakh's Depsang region | US presidential election: Donald Trump ahead of Kamala Harris in swing states, poll survey predicts | 'I strongly condemn Hindu temple attack, intimidation of our diplomats': PM Modi amid Canada row | 'I strongly condemn Hindu temple attack, intimidation of our diplomats': PM Modi amid Canada row
UN Middle East envoy condemns deadly Israeli airstrikes in Gaza
Israel Airstrikes
Image: UNRWA/Mohamed Hinnawi

UN Middle East envoy condemns deadly Israeli airstrikes in Gaza

| @indiablooms | 10 May 2023, 12:51 pm

New York: The top UN official involved in the Middle East peace process raised the alarm on Tuesday following an Israeli military operation which reportedly killed more than a dozen Palestinians, including three commanders from the militant group, Islamic Jihad.

“I am deeply alarmed by developments in Gaza after Israel launched a military operation this morning targeting members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement (PIJ),” said Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

The Israeli airstrikes inside Gaza resulted in the killing of 13 Palestinians, including three members of PIJ, a doctor, five women and four children, and more than 20 injured, he said, condemning the incident.

“This is unacceptable,” he added, urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid an escalation.

The Special Coordinator, who works with peace process parties to advance progress on realizing a two-State solution, said his Office remains “fully engaged with all sides in an attempt to avoid a broader conflict with devastating consequences for all”.

According to news reports, the multiple Israeli airstrikes were carried out in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Other violations must stop

His statement came a day after he had condemned the demolition of a European Union-funded primary school in the West Bank.

Persistent drivers of conflict, including school demolitions, “breed a climate of mistrust and tension between Palestinians and Israelis and undermine the prospect of achieving a political solution,” he said in the statement issued on Monday following the Israeli authorities’ demolition on 7 May.

The European Union-funded Palestinian primary school had served Jubbet adh Dhib village, east of Bethlehem, in Area C of the occupied West Bank, directly affecting the education of at least 40 children.

58 schools face illegal demolition

The demolition followed an Israeli court order citing safety concerns in response to a petition by a settler organization. Currently, 58 schools, serving 6,500 children, face the threat of demolition due to a lack of building permits that are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, Mr. Wennesland said.

“A child’s right to education must be respected,” he said, calling on Israeli authorities to cease such demolitions and evictions, which are illegal under international law, and to approve plans for Palestinian communities to build legally in Area C to address their development needs, including for schools.

“Such acts that negatively impact basic service delivery for Palestinians, threaten stability, and undermine the Palestinian Authority,” he said.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Related Images
Xi Jinping, Putin in Russia 22 Mar 2023, 02:56 pm
Related Videos