In a statement released on Thursday, the United Nations (UN) expressed deep concern over the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied West Bank and urged Israel to put an end to “unlawful killings” targeting the Palestinian population.
The UN rights chief, Volker Turk, issued a report demanding an immediate cessation of the use of military weapons in law enforcement operations, an end to arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of Palestinians, and the removal of discriminatory movement restrictions.
Turk, in his statement, highlighted the troubling nature of using military tactics and weapons in law enforcement, unnecessary or disproportionate force, and enforcing broad, arbitrary, and discriminatory movement restrictions affecting Palestinians.
He emphasized that the intensity of violence and repression witnessed is unprecedented in years.
The report, covering the period since October 7, focused on the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem. It documented a sharp increase in air strikes, incursions into refugee camps, and densely-populated areas, resulting in deaths, injuries, and extensive damage to civilian infrastructure.
During the examined period, the report also noted a significant rise in settler attacks, including shootings, burning of homes and vehicles, and uprooting of trees.
Turk called on Israel to cease settler violence against the Palestinian population, investigate all incidents involving settlers and Israeli security forces, protect Palestinian communities against forcible transfer, and ensure the return of herding communities displaced due to attacks.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, from October 7 to December 27, 300 Palestinians died in the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem, including 79 children.
Israeli security forces were responsible for at least 291 of these deaths, settlers killed eight, and one Palestinian was killed by either Israeli security forces or settlers.
The report indicated that, before October 7, 200 Palestinians had already been killed in the area in 2023, marking the highest number in a 10-month period since the UN began keeping records in 2005.
Turk urged Israel to grant the UN Human Rights Office access to the country, expressing readiness to report similarly on the October 7 attacks.
