A UN protection force must be urgently deployed to Palestine

For decades, the international response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has centered on political settlements, but this approach increasingly overlooks the more urgent crisis: Palestinian civilian life and social structures are in grave danger because of continuing colonization. In Gaza, a genocidal war has killed more than 74,000 people and created conditions for excess deaths of tens of thousands more, while wiping out neighborhoods and critical infrastructure.

In the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, different mechanisms of destruction operate: settler and military violence, forced displacement, movement restrictions, loss of agricultural land access, and fiscal pressure on Palestinian civil administration. These policies collectively threaten the ability of Palestinian communities to continue existing, making an international protection force urgently necessary.

Widespread Destruction

Since October 2023, colonization has accelerated to the point where Palestinian life in Palestine is made impossible. The Israeli army has destroyed roughly 81 percent of structures in Gaza, displacing 1.9 million people without homes. Most residents live in tents or makeshift shelters unfit for long-term habitation.

In the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, home demolitions under the pretext of absent building permits have escalated. According to Al-Haq, 46 Palestinian communities were forcibly displaced by Israeli forces and settlers between 2023 and mid-2025. Communities including Jenin, Nur Shams, Tulkarem, and most recently Hebron have been severely damaged, with 5,000 people displaced and at least 120 detained in Hebron alone.

Collapse of Services

Healthcare and education systems are witnessing massive destruction. In Gaza, only 19 of 36 hospitals and 73 of 158 primary health centers remain partially functional. UNICEF reports that 98 percent of Gaza's schools were destroyed or damaged during the war.

In the West Bank, hospitals are severely underfunded due to Israel withholding tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority, operating at reduced capacity with services becoming unavailable. Hundreds of Israeli checkpoints prevent emergency care from functioning properly. At least 84 schools in the West Bank and East Jerusalem face pending demolition orders.