The human rights chief highlighted also the plight of hundreds of Palestinian children detained by Israel, including some without charge, under the so-called "administrative detention" system. An estimated 440 Palestinians are being held currently.

 

"These assaults on fundamental rights dismantle trust in institutions, strip away the social structures which enable peaceful resolution of disputes, and create a tinderbox in which any flash of conflict may ignite severe and unpredictable consequences," he concluded.

 

On Friday, four Palestinians were killed and some 210 Palestinians wounded during fierce fighting between Israel and Hamas, the most serious one in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip since the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict that killed thousands.

 

The attack began after an Israeli soldier was killed during operational activity near the southern Gaza Strip on Friday. The soldier was the first one to be shot dead by Palestinian fighters since 2014, the Israel Defense Forces said.

 

Later Friday, Hamas announced it had reached a ceasefire agreement with Israel after efforts led by Egypt and the UN.

 

Since late March when the Great March of Return protests started, the death toll of Palestinians has exceeded 140. The protests, which peak every Friday, demand the return of Palestinian refugees and the lift of the blockade Israel has imposed on Gaza.