The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has raised alarms about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the West Bank, particularly in the Nurshams and Tulkarm camps, where residents are suffering from severe water and electricity shortages, according to a report by Arab news agency.
UNRWA has emphasized the ongoing threats to Palestinian civilians in the West Bank due to continuous operations by Israeli forces. These actions are exacerbating the already critical humanitarian conditions in the region.
The Palestinian Prisoners Club recently disclosed that since the onset of the conflict in Gaza on October 7, Israeli forces have arrested 9,870 Palestinians across the West Bank. This escalation in detentions accompanies ongoing military actions in the Gaza Strip, which persist despite two UN Security Council resolutions demanding an immediate halt to the attacks and directives from the International Court of Justice to prevent genocide and improve humanitarian conditions.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health has reported a significant rise in casualties, with numerous deaths in Khan Yunus in the south and Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that over 180,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Khan Yunus due to intense bombings, marking a new wave of internal displacement amid the protracted conflict.
The humanitarian crisis is further underscored by the widespread food insecurity affecting the Gaza Strip. The World Food Programme reports that 90% of the population has not had access to food for 24 hours or more, highlighting the desperate need for international intervention.
Since October 7, 2023, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 40,000 Palestinians and injuries to over 91,000, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The majority of these casualties are women, children, and middle-aged individuals. Additionally, more than 10,000 Palestinians remain trapped under rubble, their fate uncertain until the conflict subsides.
The international community's response has been largely muted, with human rights organizations calling for more decisive action to address the escalating violence and humanitarian violations. The support of the United States and other Western nations for Israel has been criticized for contributing to the ongoing conflict and the severe humanitarian crisis in the region.
UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies continue to urge immediate and sustained international efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict that respects the rights and dignity of all involved.
