GENEVA, June 4. /TASS/. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, called for an end to the violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and for bringing those responsible to justice.

In a statement published by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Turk reported that since October 7 of last year, 505 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces in the West Bank.

"Killings, destruction, and widespread human rights violations are unacceptable and must be immediately stopped," Turk emphasized. "Israel must not only adopt but also ensure compliance with the rules of engagement that fully align with human rights norms and standards." Reports of killings "must be thoroughly and independently investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable," he stated.

According to the data provided by the UN High Commissioner, 505 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7 of last year. During the same period, "24 Israelis, including 8 members of Israeli security forces, were killed in the West Bank and Israel during clashes or alleged attacks by Palestinians from the West Bank," he noted. "The widespread impunity for such crimes has been a common occurrence in the occupied West Bank for far too long. This impunity has created a favorable environment for an increasing number of unlawful killings committed by Israeli security forces," Turk added.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians before the crisis, and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes have also been reported on the West Bank.