New york: A senior UN official warned Tuesday that violence by Israeli occupiers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has reached an "alarming rate" amid continued illegal Israeli settlement expansion.
According to Anadolu Agency, Ramiz Alakbarov, the deputy special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told the UN Security Council about the escalation of daily settler-related attacks, often occurring in the presence of Israeli forces. These incidents have resulted in casualties, property damage, and displacement in Palestinian communities throughout the occupied West Bank.
Covering the period from December 3, 2025, to March 13, 2026, Alakbarov reported that Israeli authorities have advanced or approved over 6,000 housing units in the occupied West Bank, with approximately 3,160 units in Area C and 2,850 in East Jerusalem.
Alakbarov condemned the "relentless Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank," which he stated continues to fuel tensions, restrict access for Palestinians to their land, and threatens the viability of an independent and contiguous Palestinian state.
He also highlighted that Palestinians face a broader pattern of displacement, demolitions, evictions, and movement restrictions. Alakbarov expressed concern over the demolition and seizure of Palestinian structures, noting that these actions entail numerous human rights violations and raise concerns about the risk of forcible transfer. Residents continue to be denied the right to return home.
Raising concerns over the detention of Palestinians, Alakbarov mentioned his alarm over the large numbers of Palestinians, including children, held by Israel, particularly in administrative detention without charge or trial. Reports of torture, ill-treatment, including sexual violence, and deaths in custody were described as "deeply disturbing."
On the situation in Gaza, Alakbarov noted that the ceasefire remains "highly fragile," with ongoing Israeli airstrikes, shelling, and gunfire across the Strip. About 1.4 million people remain displaced across 1,200 sites, many in overcrowded and unsafe conditions, with only limited fuel and humanitarian aid entering Gaza through Karem Shalom since mid-March.
Alakbarov condemned the continued killing and injury of civilians in Gaza, including women and children, warning of catastrophic infrastructure damage and severe shortages of clean water, medical care, and shelter. He called on Israel to immediately cease withholding Palestinian clearance revenues, cautioning that such "punitive economic and fiscal measures" destabilize Palestinian institutions and threaten the viability of the Palestinian Authority.