UN Urges Restraint Following Assassination of Hamas Leader Aruri
Deputy Spokesperson of the UN Secretary General, Florencia Soto Nino, expressed concern about the recent developments in the region in a statement during a daily press conference. Nino stated that the situation is “very worrying” and highlights the risk of potential spread to the region, which was previously warned about by the Secretary General.
The Deputy Spokesperson called for all parties to exercise maximum restraint and urgently reduce regional tensions. She emphasized the need for intense efforts from the international community to prevent an increase in tension in the region and to avoid reckless steps that could trigger violence.
Nino also shared concerning statistics, stating that approximately 1.9 million Palestinians in Gaza, which makes up 85% of the society, have been displaced. Additionally, she pointed out that 507 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 2023, with 1225 attacks carried out by Israeli settlers in the West Bank during the same period.
Addressing recent statements from Israeli officials regarding the voluntary migration of Palestinians from the Gaza strip, Nino reaffirmed the UN’s opposition against forced displacement and reiterated Secretary-General Guterres’s support for the two-state solution.
The article also touched upon the reported death of Hamas Political Bureau Deputy Chief, Salih al-Aruri, in a drone attack on the Hamas office in Beirut, Lebanon. Al-Aruri played a significant role in the establishment of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades and was involved in negotiations with Israel for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
The UN continues to closely monitor the situation in the region and urges all parties to seek peaceful resolutions to ongoing conflicts.
