Opening a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Volker Turk decried soaring violence in the West Bank amid major Israeli raids.

"In the West Bank, deadly and destructive operations, some at a scale not witnessed in the last two decades, are worsening a calamitous situation there, already aggravated by serious settler violence," Turk told the council.

Violence in the West Bank has surged alongside the Israeli war on Gaza.

Israel's occupation army on August 28 launched simultaneous raids across several cities and refugee camps in the northern West Bank, killing at least 36 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Since October 7, Israeli troops or terrorist settlers have killed at least 662 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Turk also highlighted that nearly 10,000 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons or military facilities, "many arbitrarily", and said over 50 have died "due to inhumane conditions and ill-treatment".

Israel's brutal in Gaza since Oct.7, has so far killed at least 40,972 people, most of them are women and children, with over 94,761  others wounded.

Turk stressed that "ending that war and averting a full-blown regional conflict is an absolute and urgent priority".

* This story was edited by Ahram Online.