UN Condemns Western Silence as ’Israeli’ Forces Open Fire on Palestinian Children

Francesca Albanese, the UN rapporteur, took to the X platform on Tuesday to express her outrage, asking, “As ‘Israel’ continues to kill Palestinian children from the River to the Sea, where are the Western politicians to be seen or heard?”

Her remarks were in response to a “Haaretz” report detailing the martyrdom of a two-year-old Palestinian toddler, Laila al-Khatib, who was shot in the head by "Israeli" soldiers during a family dinner in the West Bank.

According to the toddler’s grandfather, there was no warning before the soldiers opened fire. “I asked the soldiers – why did you kill her? She is just a little baby. The soldier told me, sorry. She was shot in the head,” he recounted.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that Laila died of critical wounds sustained when "Israeli" forces fired on her home in the Martyrs’ Triangle area of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank. Reports also indicated that her pregnant mother was injured during the attack.

On the same day, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Ahmad Mahmoud Hashash, 42, succumbed to injuries after being shot during an "Israeli" raid on the Balata refugee camp in the central West Bank.

Since the ceasefire between "Israel" and Hamas took effect in Gaza last week, at least 14 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank, with many more injured and thousands displaced.

Jenin, a city known for its Palestinian resistance, has been a frequent target of "Israeli" military raids. The latest operation began just a day after the Gaza ceasefire was established, following over 15 months of "Israeli" attacks that have murdered more than 47,000 Palestinians in Gaza.

Even before the recent escalation, the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-governance in the West Bank, had been conducting raids in Jenin, allegedly to restore order. These actions were widely criticized by resistance groups.

The "Israeli" military’s raids have caused extensive destruction, including the demolition of homes and critical infrastructure.

Breaking the Silence, a group of former "Israeli" soldiers advocating for an end to the occupation of the West Bank, East Al-Quds [“Jerusalem”] and Gaza, warned last week that Jenin risks experiencing a “Gazafication” by the "Israeli" military, marked by airstrikes and widespread devastation.

The UN has repeatedly warned that "Israel" may replicate its genocidal campaign in Gaza in the West Bank, raising urgent concerns about the ongoing violence and the international community’s failure to act.