United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk called Tuesday for an end to violence in the occupied West Bank, condemning the Israeli security forces and settlers for the deaths of more than 500 Palestinians since October 7.
“The killing, destruction and widespread human rights violations are unacceptable, and must cease immediately,” Türk said in a press release. “Israel must not only adopt but enforce rules of engagement that are fully in line with applicable human rights norms and standards.”
The high commissioner said the U.N. human rights office has monitored more than 80 cases which indicate the security forces have consistently violated international human rights law with “unnecessary and disproportionate use of lethal force.”
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli security forces.
The Reuters news agency cited Israel's diplomatic mission in Geneva as saying its actions in the West Bank were in response to what the mission described as a drastic increase in attacks.
"Israel will continue to operate against Palestinian terrorism, from wherever it emanates, in line with international law, to protect and defend our population," it said.
The U.N. human rights office told Reuters that at least 490 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces and 10 people killed by settlers.
Israel’s Western allies have urged Israel to take further measures to stop settler violence. Some countries, including the United States, have imposed sanctions on violent settlers.
Violence surged in the West Bank after Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages. Israel's retaliatory bombardments and ground offensive in Gaza have killed at least 36,400 people, mostly civilians, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The U.N. human rights office says since October 7, Israeli security forces have executed at least 29 militarized operations, involving airstrikes by unmanned aerial vehicles and the firing of ground-to-ground missiles on refugee camps and other high-populated areas, in which 164 Palestinians have been killed, including 35 children.
“The violence by the IDF and Israeli settlers, against the backdrop of the scale of killing and destruction continuing in Gaza, have instilled fear and insecurity among Palestinians in the occupied West Bank,” Türk said.
Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press and Reuters.
