UN chief denounces escalating Israeli settler violence in occupied West Bank

Speaking at a press briefing in New York on Friday, Guterres emphasized the importance of upholding international law, including the principles of humanitarian and human rights laws, throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East al-Quds.

He also stressed that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has outlined provisional measures, which are binding and must be enforced.

“The court’s advisory opinion of October 22, 2025, was clear: Israel is under the obligation to allow and facilitate humanitarian aid, to cooperate with the United Nations in carrying out our mandates, and to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including in times of armed conflict,” the UN chief continued.

He reaffirmed his support for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and underscored its vital role in assisting Palestinians, both in Gaza and elsewhere in the West Asia region.

Guterres noted that this crisis stems from human decisions and can be resolved through deliberate choices, provided there is political will to take action.

He urged an end to the “perverse and prolonged suffering” endured by the Palestinian people, stressing the importance of offering them a sense of hope. He called for the complete enforcement of the ceasefire, the cessation of the ongoing cycle of violence, and the establishment of a clear, irreversible path toward a so-called two-state solution.

The remarks came on the same day that a young Palestinian man sustained injuries following an attack by Israeli settlers in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.

Local news outlets reported that a group of armed settlers launched an attack on residents and their homes in the Khallat al-Natsh neighborhood of the city of al-Khalil.

A 20-year-old man was injured during the assault and later transported to hospital to receive medical care.

Residents said the attack resulted in property damage and heightened fear among families in the area, as acts of violence by settlers against Palestinian communities persist, amid the protection of Israeli forces.

Early on Friday, a young Palestinian man sustained fractures in both legs after being struck by an Israeli settler’s vehicle.

According to reports, a group of settlers drove into the eastern part of Nablus, during which one of them intentionally ran over the young man while he was passing along Amman Street, causing fractures in both of his legs.

Palestinians in the West Bank are experiencing heightened Zionist regime’s military operations and a surge in violent incidents by settlers following the onset of the devastating Gaza war in October 2023, which has claimed over 70,000 lives in the coastal area.

Since then, over 1,085 Palestinians have been martyred and 10,700 others injured in the West Bank due to attacks by the military and Israeli settlers in the occupied territory. More than 20,500 individuals have also been abducted by the forces of the occupying regime.

For months, human rights organizations have been sounding the alarm about the increasing risk of ethnic cleansing faced by Palestinians in the West Bank amid ongoing violence.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Zionist regime’s prolonged occupation of historic Palestine to be unlawful and urged the removal of all settlements located in the West Bank and East al-Quds.