UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- More than 6,500 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes in the West Bank since 2023 due to settler attacks or access restrictions, UN humanitarians said Thursday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said an updated map showed the locations of communities displaced and sites of more than 6,000 settler attacks since 2023 that caused casualties, property damage or both.
According to OCHA, 49 communities have been fully displaced and 83 partially displaced. About 88,000 trees and saplings, a source of livelihood for many, and more than 3,100 vehicles have also been damaged.
"Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory must be protected and allowed to access their homes, olive groves, workplaces, schools and essential services in safety and dignity," OCHA said, stressing that "Perpetrators of attacks must be held to account."
Separately, the UN Population Fund reported high levels of gender-based violence against women and girls in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, according to OCHA.
Reported incidents rose by over 30 percent in the second quarter of this year from the previous quarter, with women and girls facing denial of resources, opportunities and services, as well as emotional, physical and sexual violence, including forced or early marriage, the report said. ■
