WEST BANK VIOLENCE HAS DEVASTATING EFFECT ON DAILY LIVES OF ORDINARY GAZA RESIDENTS
▶ Those in need of urgent medical care particularly at risk due to limits on movement, Red Cross says
The escalation of violence in parts of the West Bank has affected the movement of more than 3 million residents, risking the lives of patients who need daily medical care, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said yesterday.
In recent weeks, tension between Palestinians and Israelis has reached a peak in one of the deadliest recent surges of violence in the decades-long conflict.
“Civilians overwhelmingly bear the brunt of the consequences of the recent increase of the armed violence in the West Bank including East Jerusalem,” Suhair Zakkout, a spokeswoman for the ICRC in Gaza, told The National.
This includes widespread house demolitions and destruction of private property, as well as movement restrictions that compromise human dignity and affect people’s livelihood, economic prospects and adequate access to essential services, Ms Zakkout said.
“We repeat our call to all authorities concerned to take proactive steps to de-escalate tensions and strengthen the respect for civilian life and property,” she said. Hamza, a resident of Beita, a town of about 15,000 in the northern West Bank, told the ICRC that living there felt like being trapped.
“The entire year was very tense, considering the number of casualties, restrictive measures, and closures,” Ms Zakkout said.
Hamza’s mother needs three dialysis treatments a week, and following a wave of violence, checkpoints usually take much longer to pass through.
“Imagine holding her off for four hours at the checkpoint following a three to four hour session,” Ms Zakkout said as she told Hamza’s story.
“She was exhausted. One time, she almost passed out in the car from fatigue.”
More than 3 million people who are living in the West Bank are facing this kind of situation on a daily basis and it is taking a heavy toll on the population’s mental health, the ICRC has found.
“But the main issue in the West Bank is the restriction of movement and the closures of some areas, which is impacting the regular activities of the population,” she said.
The ICRC’s operation in the occupied territories is underfunded, Ms Zakkout said.
“This is due to the protracted conflict which is 56 years old years,” she said.
Other worldwide emergencies have taken priority over the war, she added.
However, the ICRC is doing the best it can with the funds it has.
Ms Zakkout pointed out that in 2022, the group worked with authorities on both sides to maintain the family links between Palestinians and their detained loved ones in Israeli prisons.
“We facilitated permits for over 54,000 family members and transported them to visit their relatives in Israeli prisons. Over 5,000 detainees were able to see their loved ones through regular visits,” she said.
Civilians overwhelmingly bear the brunt of the consequences of the recent increase of armed violence
SUHAIR ZAKKOUT
ICRC spokeswoman