The United Nations has sharply criticized Israel for its major military operation in the northern West Bank, which it says involves “deadly warfare tactics.”
People in the area “are increasingly exposed to deadly warfare that appears to exceed international standards for law enforcement,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, said on Wednesday, citing reports from the UN emergency agency OCHA.
“The Israeli Defense Forces must adhere to international policing standards. Lethal force and firearms are the last resort and should only be used in cases of imminent danger of death or serious injury,” Dujarric said.
At least ten people have been killed so far in the large-scale Israeli military operation that began overnight, according to Palestinian reports.
According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), they have entered several settlements, including Jenin and Tulkarem, two cities considered strongholds of Palestinian militants.
According to media reports, the army deployed a large number of infantry, drones and snipers, destroyed infrastructure with bulldozers and blocked all access roads to Jenin.
There were gun battles with armed Palestinians. Several wanted Palestinians were arrested.
The deployment of troops comes after a recent significant increase in attacks on Israelis, which the Israeli military says originated in the northern West Bank.
