Israeli troops have fired warning shots towards diplomats visiting Jenin in Gaza during an official visit organised by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which rules over the territory of the occupied West Bank.
No one was reported injured. However, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry has accused the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) of a “heinous crime” and has said soldiers were deliberately targeting diplomats.
“The delegation was undertaking an official mission to observe and assess the humanitarian situation and document the ongoing violations perpetrated by the occupying forces against the Palestinian people,” the ministry said in the statement.
The delegation was composed of representatives of 31 countries, including China, Russia, Egypt and EU nations. Many countries, including Canada, Türkiye as well as the EU have asked for an investigation into the incident.
A spokesperson for the UN secretary general Stéphane Dujarric called use of force towards diplomats “unacceptable” and demanded a “thorough investigation”.
“It is clear that diplomats who are doing their work should never be shot at, attacked in any way, shape or form, and their safety, their inviolability, must be respected at all times,” he said.
In its statement, the IDF said it “regrets the inconvenience caused” but justified the soldiers’ actions by saying that the diplomats deviated from the agreed route and were going to “an area where they had no right to be”.
“IDF soldiers operating in the area fired warning shots to distance them away. No injuries or damages were reported,” they said.
The IDF has started an internal investigation and promised to inform the countries that participated in the visit of the results.
In January, a large-scale operation announced by Israeli Prime-Minister Bejamin Netanyahu began in Jenin, resulting in displacement of 40,000 people from refugee camp.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu agreed on temporary ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the remaining hostages.
“If there is an option for a temporary ceasefire to free hostages, we’ll be ready,” he said.
Photo: Palestine by Ilya Varlamov found HERE and is used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.
