Israel has conducted 28 airstrikes against West Bank since Oct. 7: UN

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN on Wednesday reported that at least 28 airstrikes were conducted by Israel on the West Bank since October.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Israel also carried out two strikes on the West Bank last week.

He said, "14 children were among the 77 Palestinians killed during these airstrikes."

Dujarric also stated that 200 homes were damaged in Israel's attack on the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm in the northern West Bank.

Regarding the Israeli army seizing a large area of Palestinian land in southern Nablus in the northern West Bank, the UN spokesman said: "It is a step in the wrong direction, and the direction we want to be heading is to find a negotiated two-state solution."

Asked about reports of Israel and the UN agreeing to use Elon Musk's satellite internet service, Starlink, in the Gaza Strip, Dujarric stated: "We are in discussions with the Israeli authorities on getting what we feel is necessary equipment to provide the necessary level of safety and security for our own staff operating humanitarian operations."

Emphasizing that similar systems are present in all countries where the UN conducts humanitarian operations, he said, "We want to know where our staff is at all times, and we want to be able to speak to the staff at all times.”

Noting that the communication equipment needed by the UN is not specifically related to Starlink, Dujarric said: "It's about getting whatever equipment that works that doesn't rely on cell towers."