At least 172 were killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since the start of this year, according to the United Nations on Monday.
“The number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank and Israel by Israeli forces so far in 2023 (172) has surpassed the total number killed in all of 2022 (155),” the UN Humanitarian Affairs Office (OCHA) said in a statement.
Year 2022 “already saw the highest fatalities in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 2005,” it added.
According to the UN office, at least 705 Palestinians were injured by Israeli fire in the West Bank this year, exceeding the figure of 2022, which stood at 411.
There was no comment from the Israeli authorities on the OCHA report.
Early Monday, Human Rights Watch (HR) said that 2022 was the deadliest year for Palestinian children in 15 years, with at least 34 children killed by Israeli fire.
Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into Palestinian towns along with attacks and assaults carried out by Israeli settlers who are usually guarded by the Israeli army.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar
Source: Anadolu Agency