UN expert calls for international protection force in Palestinian territories

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has called for the urgent deployment of an international protection force in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. The call follows reports of escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

According to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, the first eight months of 2026 saw a significant rise in fatalities. Data indicates that 25 Palestinians were killed by settlers during this period, a figure that exceeds the total number of Palestinians killed in settler attacks throughout the entire year of 2025 by approximately 79%. Between 2019 and August 21, 2026, the commission reported that 87 Palestinians were killed in such attacks.

Albanese emphasized that the responsibility for ending the illegal occupation lies with other states, citing the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice. The call for peacekeepers highlights growing international concern regarding the inadequacy of existing security measures to prevent settler violence and the ongoing tensions resulting from Israeli military operations and the conflict in Gaza.