Mohamed Khaled Khiari, assistant secretary-general for the Middle East, has stated that ongoing war in Gaza has a “high risk” of spilling over into a regional conflict.
This came as the UN security council held a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, amid reports of escalating tensions in the occupied West Bank.
Briefing the council members, Khiari outlined the latest updates on violence in the occupied West Bank.
He said that 304 Palestinians including 79 children have been killed in the occupied West Bank just since October 7.
Khiari also said that just in one incident, on December 27, Israeli forces attacked a refugee camp in the West Bank and killed six people including two children there.
He reiterated UN chief Antonio Guterres’s calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
“We must restore a political horizon and move towards the only viable possibility for a peaceful future, a two-state solution, with Gaza an integral part of an independent Palestinian state, living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security.”
Mohamed Khaled Khiari
Addressing the UN Security Council, Palestinian UN envoy Majed Bamya said that the widescale destruction of Gaza by Israeli operations has made it clear that their sole goal is forced displacement.
He said, “They want to make sure that Palestinians in Gaza have no homes to return to. They want to make sure they have no life to return.”
“They want to make sure that life in Gaza is no longer possible, with one aim, what they call ‘voluntary migration’ … the codename for forced displacement. These are the options for Palestinians: Destruction or displacement, death or displacement.”
Majed Bamya
Also, Adviser to the Norwegian Refugee Council, Itay Epshtain told the council that members must confront “arbitrary capricious and unlawful limitations on humanitarian relief imposed by Israel” and the continued displacement of Gaza Palestinians within the enclave.
Israel has caused those displacements without “reasonable justification, proper accommodation or services in places of refuge or guarantees of return”, he said. He added the threat of displacement into Egypt continues to rise.
Meanwhile, an increase in attacks by settlers and Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank is increasing the threat of forcible transfer, he explained.
“The Council must not allow Israel to forcibly transfer Palestinians from their land, or to continue with the illegal annexation of occupied Palestinian territories in breach of international law,” he said.
Israeli UN envoy threatens ‘full scale war’ if Hezbollah attacks continue
Speaking to the UN Security Council, Gilad Erdan demanded that the attacks from Lebanese territory on Israel come to an end.
“Fifty-thousand Israeli civilians were displaced along the northern border because of the Iranian-backed attacks from Lebanon. These attacks are flagrant violations of Israel’s sovereignty, of international law and of security council resolutions, he said.
“Israel will defend itself. I have warned this council countless times,” he continued.
Prior to Erdan’s remarks, it was reported that Israeli attacks targeted areas “deep inside Lebanese territory.”
Israeli warplanes conducted several air strikes on a place called Wadi Hamoul.
According to the Israelis, this is an area where Hezbollah is launching missiles from.
After the air strikes, there were several artillery shells that hit the same area. There are also other attacks by Israeli air forces and also by Israeli artillery in different areas within southern Lebanon.
Some of them even a bit far, about 15 to 16km (9.3 to 10 miles) deep inside the Lebanese territory … close to Nabatieh towards the east of Lebanon.
Since this morning, Hezbollah has announced at least six attacks on Israeli positions. Some attacks were directed towards Israeli military.
Also, there are reports of several drones flying from Lebanon towards Israel. At least on one occasion, the Israelis had intercepted a drone.
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