Britain 'deeply concerned' by Israel's operation in occupied West Bank

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government said on Friday it was "deeply concerned" by Israel's ongoing operation in the occupied West Bank, warning that risk of instability was serious and that there was an urgent need for de-escalation.

"We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions," a spokesperson for Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement.

Clashes with Israeli forces in the West Bank have escalated since Israel's war with Hamas militants began in Gaza nearly 11 months ago.

More than 660 people - combatants and civilians - have been killed, according to Palestinian tallies, some by Jewish settlers who have carried out frequent vigilante-style attacks on West Bank Palestinian communities.

Israeli troops killed a local commander of the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad movement in the West Bank and four other militants on Thursday in a gunbattle during one of the largest assaults in the Israeli-occupied territory for months.

"We recognise Israel's need to defend itself against security threats, but we are deeply worried by the methods Israel has employed and by reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure," the Foreign Office spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added the UK "strongly condemns settler violence", and that it was in no one's interest further conflict and instability to spread in the occupied West Bank.

(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Kate Holton and Kylie MacLellan)

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