UN High Commissioner Warns of 'Rapid Deterioration' of Human Rights in the West Bank

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed regret in a report published on Thursday regarding what it termed the 'rapid deterioration' of human rights in the occupied West Bank by Israel, urging Israeli officials to 'end the violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.' The report states that since October 7, 300 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank. The war in Gaza began after Hamas's terrorist attack on southern Israel on October 7 and the widespread killing of civilians and hostage-taking by Hamas. Israel claims its goal is to eliminate Hamas. According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report, most of the killings occurred during operations by Israeli security forces or in clashes with them; 'at least 105 deaths can be attributed to Israeli operations, including airstrikes or other military tactics in refugee camps or other densely populated areas.' The report also indicates that at least eight people were killed by Jewish settlers. There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials regarding this report. Israel has stated that its operations in the West Bank are preventive and aimed at containing security threats. Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated, 'The use of military tactics and weapons in law enforcement contexts, the use of unnecessary or disproportionate force, and the imposition of wide-ranging, arbitrary, and discriminatory movement restrictions affecting Palestinians is very concerning.' Volker Turk previously described the resumption of war in Gaza after the end of the ceasefire as catastrophic and said, 'I urge all parties and countries that have influence over them to immediately intensify efforts to ensure a ceasefire for humanitarian and human rights reasons.' He called for an investigation into what he termed Israel's 'indiscriminate' bombing and shelling in densely populated areas of Gaza. Figaro: Hassan Nasrallah was informed 'half an hour before' the Hamas attack. Claims by the IRGC spokesperson: 'Operation Al-Aqsa' was revenge for Qassem Soleimani; Hamas denied this. An American senator called for retaliatory attacks in Iran: 'Blow up IRGC bases.'