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RAMALLAH, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) called on Monday for a political action to prevent further escalation of the mounting tensions between the Palestinians and Israelis.
UNRWA expressed in a statement its deep alarm by the escalating violence and widespread loss of civilian lives in the Palestinian territory and in Israel.
"The root causes of the conflict, among them the Israeli occupation, must be addressed," UNRWA statement said stating that there is a pervasive sense of hopelessness and despair across the occupied Palestinian territory resulting from the denial of rights and dignity.
UNRWA called upon all parties to protect the rights of children, particularly their right to life, and for maximum restraint to ensure the protection of civilians, in accordance with international law.
The statement added that between Oct. 1 and Oct. 9 UNRWA recorded 45 incursions by Israeli forces into West Bank's refugee camps resulting in the killing of several refugees, including one child.
"According to preliminary figures, 180 people have reportedly been injured in West Bank refugee camps, including some 20 children. About 50 of them were reportedly injured by live-fire," the statement read.
UNRWA condemned the killings and injuries of Palestinian refugees such as the "tragic" case on Oct. 5 that killed 13-year-old Abdul Rahman, who used to study in the ninth grade an UNRWA school, "He was shot dead by Israeli Forces in Bethlehem's Aida refugee camp," the statement said.
The organization said that its investigations showed that the child didn't pose a threat as he was with his schoolmates near the UNRWA office after end of the school day.
UNRWA expressed its serious concerns about the "excessive use of force" that may be contrary to UN law enforcement standards.
"Under international law there are strict limits to the use of lethal force whether in the context of law enforcement operations or during conflict," UNRWA said explaining that these limitations are mostly applicable where a military occupying power operates in civilian areas.
The UN agency said that according to the UN basic principles on the use of force and firearms by Law Enforcement Officials , "Law enforcement officials shouldn't use firearms against people except in self-defense or defense of others against an imminent threat of death or serious injury," the statement added explaining that this done to prevent the perpetration of a particularly serious crime involving grave threat to life, to arrest a person presenting such a danger and resisting their authority, or to prevent his or her escape, and only when less extreme means are ineffective to achieve these objectives.
The UN agency added that there is a need to open a prompt, impartial, effective and thorough investigation when alleged violations of international law occur.
"All political actors must act decisively to restore their hope in a dignified, secure and stable future," UNRWA added.
The confrontations between Palestinians on the one hand and the Israeli army and settlers on the other hand after an Israeli married couple were killed beginning of October. Two Israelis were killed in stabbing and shooting attacks in east Jerusalem.
The Palestinian health ministry announced on Monday that the Palestinian death toll mounted to 26 since Oct. 1, after the Israeli police killed a 15-year-old Palestinian north of Jerusalem.
The ministry added in a statement that 15 people were killed in the West Bank while 11 were killed in Gaza. More than 1300 Palestinians were injured by live and rubber-coated bullets, the ministry said.
The ministry noted that one-third of the killed Palestinians are children, "which confirms that the Israeli occupation is directly targeting children, where their injuries were focused in the upper body."
