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Violence surges again in the West Bank

Palestinian protesters gathering at night Palestinian protesters gathering at night Photo by Omer Faruk Yildiz on Pexels

05 June 2021

After the truce of May 21st , clashes in the West Bank restart

 Despite the ceasefire deal reached by Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Friday, 21 May, armed clashes between the two warring parties surged again, emphasizing the fragility of the truce. Palestinian protesters were caught throwing rocks at Israeli military forces, who responded by firing tear gas and rubber-coated projectiles in order to disperse the mass of rioters. As a consequence of these reignited hostilities, the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) reported that at least two Palestinian civilians were taken to the hospital for treatment, while others were suspected to have possible injuries from the clashes. These new episodes of violence show that the tensions between the two conflicting sides are far from being sorted out, leading to huge concerns for the ongoing appalling conditions of civilians living in the war-torn areas.

As reported by BBC News, approximately 260 people lost their lives, including more than 100 women and children, during the 11 days of fighting that occurred between the 10th and 21st  of May. In light of the heinous toll on victims, the director-general of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Robert Mardini, released a statement whereby he expressed concern regarding the current situation in the Gaza Strip. According to Mardini, it is evident how the trauma in the region increases after each new round of hostilities. Despite the huge importance of the humanitarian aid delivered to civilians living there, people’s living conditions can only improve once armed clashes fully end.

Upon this premise, it is essential for the international community to urge the parties to reach an enduring agreement preventing any revival of violence. Only a long-lasting period of peace can allow civilians to restore their lives and return to normality.

 

Sources:

https://www.albawaba.com/news/violence-erupts-west-bank-two-weeks-after-ceasefire-1431468

https://www.icrc.org/en/document/statement-robert-mardini-director-general-international-committee-red-cross-after-his-visit

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-57195537

 

 

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