RAMALLAH, August 24, 2026 (WAFA) — The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese, called for the urgent deployment of an international protection force in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In a post on  X late Sunday, Albanese emphasized that the responsibility for ending the illegal Israeli occupation rests with other states, based on the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice.

She stated that violations against Palestinians continue in Gaza and the West Bank, noting the ongoing targeting of water sources and the imposition of restrictions on the movement of citizens and their access to basic services.

She added that Israeli soldiers and colonists continue to cut water pipes in several areas of the West Bank, coinciding with the ongoing siege of the town of Qusra, south of Nablus. She considered these actions to be part of a continuous pattern of violations that directly impact the lives of Palestinians.

In the Gaza Strip, the UN Special Rapporteur described the situation as still witnessing "widespread destruction," with casualties continuing despite the ceasefire coming into effect.

Albanese reiterated her call to address the political and legal causes of the crisis, foremost among them ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, stressing that providing international protection for civilians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip has become an urgent matter.

Y.S