The UN human rights chief warned a special session of the Human Rights Council on Friday that human rights violations in Gaza and some reported incidents there might warrant prosecutions for war crimes.

"The vicious cycle of provocation and retribution must be brought to an end," Navi Pillay told the council, which was holding a special session on human rights violations in the Palestinian territory.

"Accountability must be ensured for violations of international law," she said, calling for "credible, independent and transparent investigations" as a first step.

"I remind this council that violations of international humanitarian law may constitute war crimes for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked," she added.