The head of the UN human rights office in the occupied Palestinian territory warned on Monday that the distinction between settler and state violence in the occupied West Bank is “narrowing further and further,” criticizing a lack of accountability for attacks against Palestinians.
Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, Ajith Sunghay said Israeli soldiers have increasingly been involved in settler attacks.
“We have actually seen IDF joining settlers and attacking Palestinian communities. It's (IDF) not just standing by,” Sunghay said, underlining challenges in differentiating between settlers and IDF, “because many of the soldiers are settlers themselves.”
“The distinction between settler violence and state violence, I think it’s narrowing further and further,” he said in response to Anadolu's question.
Sunghay also criticized what he described as the absence of accountability for settler violence.
“There hasn’t been any accountability. We do not see arrest, prosecution, or punishment,” he said. “They have protection. They are able to grab land, and there's no consequence to it. So, with all those explanations, state action and settler action are merging.”
When asked by Anadolu what could be done to pressure Israel into changing conditions on the ground, Sunghay said member states should reassess their bilateral relations with Israel.
“We do expect what the high commissioner has called numerous times for member states … to put pressure on Israel, also look at their own bilateral relations with Israel to see how they can use that to change the conditions on the ground,” he said.
Calling settler violence “a tool for forcible displacement of Palestinians and for the expansion of settlements and settlers,” Sunghay referred to the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion calling on Israel to end the occupation and remove settlements and settlers.
“Accountability is extremely important,” he said, stressing that broader issues also need to be addressed.
'Incompatible' life conditions for Palestinians’ continued existence
The remarks came as the rights office released a new report documenting what it described as “gross violations of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law” in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, between Oct. 7, 2023 and May 31, 2025.
According to the report, at least 54,381 Palestinians were killed and 124,054 injured in Gaza during the reporting period, citing figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry.
“The actual death toll is likely much higher due to severe constraints in recording and verifying fatalities amid active hostilities and do not reflect the number of those buried under rubble and deaths resulting from the deteriorating humanitarian situation,” it stressed.
The office said it independently verified 18,683 Palestinian deaths, including 7,347 children and 3,994 women.
The report said the “cumulative effects of Israel’s conduct in Gaza” created “conditions of life incompatible with Palestinians’ continued existence as a group in much of Gaza,” while raising “serious concerns” regarding obligations under the Genocide Convention.
It also documented the displacement of around 90% of Gaza’s population and said approximately 70% of buildings in the enclave had been damaged or destroyed by April 2025.
It raised “serious concerns” regarding Israel’s compliance with obligations under the Genocide Convention.
“Furthermore, an appraisal of the totality of Israel’s policies and practices raises serious concerns about its compliance with the International Court of Justice’s binding orders and its obligations to prevent the commission of acts within the scope of Article II of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,” the report said.
Sunghay said the report reflected the “strongest” language the office has used so far regarding the situation in Gaza.
“The worry in this report is the strongest the office has gone,” he said.
He added that determining whether genocide has occurred ultimately falls under the jurisdiction of international courts such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
The report said famine conditions in Gaza were a “direct result” of Israeli measures, including restrictions on aid, displacement policies and the destruction of food-producing infrastructure.
Orange line 'extremely dangerous'
Sunghay raised concerns over the so-called “Orange Line” in Gaza, a newly emerging Israeli-controlled zone created after Israeli forces expanded beyond positions defined under the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, which established a “Yellow Line.”
“The vicinity of the Orange Line is extremely dangerous because nobody clearly knows exactly where it starts, where it ends, and how it moves,” he said, adding that the human rights office verified killings of women, children and unarmed civilians near the area.
Sunghay said the Palestinian Health Ministry reported 311 killings in the vicinity of the Orange Line/Yellow Line, while the office has so far verified under 30 deaths as it continues its documentation work under difficult access conditions.
He stressed that Israel currently controls about 60% of Gaza.
Sunghay also said that the UN human rights staff, as well as other UN agencies, have effectively been denied access to Gaza since around mid-2025.
“Access is an issue,” he said, adding that restrictions were also affecting NGOs and journalists and limiting independent monitoring.
Regarding the Israeli law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners that took effect on Sunday, the official said: “The signing of the order is another step in showing their intention.” He warned that nothing so far appeared to be slowing Israeli measures on the ground.
