In a rare condemnation of Israel, the UN has denounced the country’s excessive use of force in its largest military operation in two decades targeting a refugee camp in the West Bank. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, clearly angered by the impact of the Israeli attack on the Jenin refugee camp, said it had left over 100 civilians injured, forced thousands to flee, damaged schools and hospitals and disrupted water and electricity networks. He also criticised Israel for preventing injured people from receiving medical care and humanitarian workers from reaching those in need. “I strongly condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror,” Guterres said on Thursday. Asked whether this condemnation applied to Israel, he replied: “It applies to all use of excessive force, and obviously in this situation, there was an excessive force used by Israeli forces.” The UN chief called on Israel “to abide by its obligations under international law”, exercise restraint and use only proportional force. “The use of airstrikes is inconsistent with the conduct of law enforcement operations,” he said. Guterres reminded Israel that “as the occupying power, it has a responsibility to ensure that the civilian population is protected against all acts of violence”. Israel’s two-day offensive, which it said was intended to crack down on Palestinian militants, destroyed the Jenin camp’s narrow roads and alleyways, caused thousands of people to flee their homes and killed 12 Palestinians. One Israeli soldier also was killed. The Israeli army claimed to have inflicted heavy damage on militant groups in the operation at the camp, which ended on Wednesday. Ahead of the Israeli withdrawal, the country’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed to carry out similar operations if needed. This comes after more than a year of Israeli-Palestinian violence. The Jenin camp and the adjacent town of the same name have been a point of conflict since the violence escalated in spring 2022. The offensive further weakened the Palestinian Authority, Israel’s erstwhile partner in battling militants, which had little control in the camp to begin with. Guterres said he understood Israel’s concerns about its security. “But escalation is not the answer,” he said. “It simply bolsters radicalisation and leads to a deepening cycle of violence and bloodshed. “Restoring the hope of the Palestinian people in a meaningful political process, leading to a two-state solution and the end of the occupation, is an essential contribution by Israel to its own security.”