112 Palestinians killed by Israel in West Bank this year: UN

By Awad al-Rujoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Israeli forces have killed 112 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank since the start of the year, according to the United Nations on Saturday.

"Between 1 January and 29 May 2023, Israeli forces killed 112 Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a report.

OCHA noted that the figure is "more than twice the number of deaths (53) in the same period in 2022."

The UN office said that the fatalities included five Palestinians who were killed in attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

OCHA also estimated that 18 Israelis had been killed and 111 others injured in Palestinian attacks during the same period.

According to the UN report, the Israeli army demolished, or forced Palestinians to demolish, 43 structures in East Jerusalem and Area C of the West Bank, including 11 homes.

Israel widely uses the pretext of lack of construction permits to demolish Palestinian homes, especially in Area C.

Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three portions – Area A, B, and C.

While Area A represents 18% of the West Bank and is controlled by the Palestinian Authority in terms of security and administration, Area B represents 21% of the territory and is subject to Palestinian civil administration and Israeli security control.

Area C, which represents 61% of the West Bank, is under Israel’s civil and security control.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar