New York, June 15 (Petra) -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on Monday that Israeli forces have killed nearly 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza since a ceasefire was declared last October, with the vast majority of the casualties being civilians.

In an address to the UN Human Rights Council, Turk stated that Israeli authorities are forcing Palestinians into an ever-shrinking space within the enclave while imposing severe restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid.

Turning to the West Bank, Turk reported that Israeli security forces and settlers are accelerating the destruction of local communities and the annexation of land. He noted that since the beginning of the year, 57 people have been killed, approximately 1,300 injured, hundreds detained, and 23 land confiscation orders issued.

Turk emphasized that statements by some Israeli officials regarding the "removal" of all Palestinians from Gaza and ending any possibility of a viable Palestinian state are completely illegal.

//Petra// AF