Israeli forces have turned the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) health centres on the southwest coast into detention facilities in violation of international law, the UN agency reported on Friday.
In a statement, Unrwa said the Israeli forces “used the Unrwa Arroub Camp Health Center (near Bethlehem) as a temporary detention site during the search and arrest operation on February 12th.”
The Israeli military “used it to detain and interrogate dozens of Palestinians who forced them into the health centre and concluded it with camps,” the agency said.
“This is a new development of a blatant neglect of the inviolability of UN facilities,” Unrwa said, adding, “This recent incident marks the stake in the forced entry into the UNRWA installation on the West Bank since October 2023. Following the pattern: Palestinian armed groups.”
“Since January 30th, since the implementation of KNESSET (Israel Parliament) laws, including contactless policies between UNRWA and Israeli authorities, the agency has been involved with Israeli officials and has reported directly on such incidents. I can no longer declare that. They happen.”
The agency emphasized that “all UN facilities are inviolable and protected under international law.”
