The West Bank, where the internationally recognized Palestinian
Authority exercises limited self-rule under Israeli occupation,
has seen the worst unrest for decades, in parallel with the war
in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas.
Turk said that from the start of the Gaza war in October through
mid-June, 528 Palestinians, 133 of them children, had been
killed by Israeli security forces or settlers in the West Bank,
in some cases raising "serious concerns of unlawful killings".
Twenty-three Israelis have been killed in the West Bank and
Israel in clashes with or attacks by Palestinians, he said.
In Gaza, Turk said he was "appalled by the disregard for
international human rights and humanitarian law" by parties to
the war.
"Israel's relentless strikes in Gaza are causing immense
suffering and widespread destruction, and the arbitrary denial
and obstruction of humanitarian aid have continued," Turk said.
"Israel continues to detain arbitrarily thousands of
Palestinians. This must not continue."
He added that Palestinian armed groups were continuing to hold
hostages, including in populated areas, which put both the
hostages and civilians at risk.
Israel's permanent mission to the U.N. in Geneva accused Turk of
"completely omitting the cruelty and barbarity of terrorism" in
his address to the U.N. Human Rights Council.
"Hostilities in Gaza are the direct result of Hamas terrorism,
decades of rocket-fire and incitement against the Jewish people
and the State of Israel, culminating in its brutal attacks
against Israel on October 7," the diplomatic mission said in a
statement.
Israel's ground and air campaign was triggered when Hamas-led
militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing around
1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages, according to
Israeli tallies.
Israel's offensive has killed more than 37,400 people in Gaza,
according to its health authorities, and left much of the
enclave's population homeless.
(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Madeline
Chambers and Christina Fincher)
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