Israeli Chief of Staff orders readiness for military campaigns, as UN warns against violations of international law
Israeli Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, has instructed military forces to prepare for 'concrete military operations' in the West Bank in the coming days.
This development comes as United Nations Secretary-General
António Guterres warned against any potential annexation of the West Bank by Israeli forces, describing such actions as a 'flagrant violation of international law.'
Speaking to Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, Halevi emphasized the need for readiness in both Gaza and Lebanon, where past military engagements have occurred.
An agreement to cease hostilities with the Lebanese group Hezbollah was reached last November.
Meanwhile, a ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Sunday, following over 15 months of conflict.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported an increase in Israeli military activities at entrances and exits of various governorates across the West Bank.
The Israeli military confirmed on Monday the death of Reserve Major Avitar Ben Yehuda from the 8211 Battalion of the Ephraim Brigade, due to a roadside bomb near Tubas in the northern West Bank.
The 'I24 News' channel reported this incident as bringing the Israeli military death toll to 841 since the onset of recent hostilities.
During a United Nations Security Council meeting addressing Middle Eastern affairs, Secretary-General Guterres expressed his concern over the geographic continuity and security of the occupied Palestinian territories, which includes both the West Bank and Gaza.
Reports by 'Reuters' indicated that more than 630 humanitarian aid trucks had entered the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire, with over 300 reaching the northern region amidst escalating concerns of a looming famine.
At the same session, Palestinian Representative Farsin Agabekian addressed the Security Council, highlighting ongoing land encroachments and rights violations faced by Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Agabekian accused the Israeli government of undermining the two-state solution and weakening official Palestinian institutions.
She affirmed Palestine's readiness to take over administrative responsibilities in Gaza, emphasizing cooperation with Egypt and the European Union in line with the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access.
Agabekian further advocated for granting Palestine full United Nations membership and underscored the indispensable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), opposing any interference with its mandate.