New York - West Bank: Europe and Arabs
The Secretary-General of the United Nations expressed deep concern about recent developments in the occupied West Bank, including Israel's launching of large-scale military operations on Wednesday in the governorates of Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, which included airstrikes that resulted in casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. According to the UN daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received on Thursday morning,
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the loss of life, including among children. He called for an immediate cessation of these operations. A statement issued by the UN spokesman stated that the Secretary-General calls on Israel to comply with its relevant obligations under international humanitarian law and take measures to protect civilians and ensure their safety.
The Secretary-General urged the security forces to exercise maximum restraint and not to use lethal force unless strictly unavoidable in order to protect lives. The UN statement stressed the need for all wounded to be able to access health care and for relief workers to be able to reach all those in need of assistance.
The statement said that these dangerous developments inflame the already volatile situation in the occupied West Bank and further undermine the Palestinian Authority. The statement also conveyed the Secretary-General’s deep concern about the recent dangerous and provocative actions and statements made by an Israeli minister at the holy sites in Jerusalem. The Secretary-General stressed the importance of preserving the status quo at those sites.

“Ultimately, ending the occupation and returning to a meaningful political process that leads to a two-State solution are the only ways to put an end to the violence,” the statement said.

He added that the United Nations will continue to work with all parties to achieve this goal and seek to de-escalate the current situation and promote stability in the region.

In another development, a humanitarian vehicle in Gaza, clearly marked with the UN emblem, was hit 10 times by Israeli army fire, including by bullets that hit the front windows. The vehicle was part of a convoy whose movement was fully coordinated with the Israeli army.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the two staff members in the vehicle were unharmed. He referred to what a senior UN official, whose name was not disclosed, had told reporters two days earlier about the need for armoured vehicles in Gaza. Dujarric said the incident demonstrated the importance of this, as the armoured vehicle saved the lives of the two colleagues. Dujarric added that this is the latest incident that highlights the ineffectiveness of current coordination systems, "and we continue to work with the Israeli military to ensure that such incidents do not happen again."

WFP staff movement suspended
The World Food Programme announced that it has suspended the movement of its staff in Gaza until further notice after a team from the programme came under fire on the evening of 27 August, just metres from an Israeli checkpoint at the Wadi Gaza Bridge.
The programme said in a press statement that the team was returning from a mission to the Kerem Shalom crossing in two armoured vehicles after escorting a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian cargo heading to central Gaza.
The WFP statement added that the vehicle was clearly marked with UN markings and had received multiple approvals from the Israeli authorities to proceed, but was directly hit by gunfire as it advanced towards the Israeli military checkpoint.