United Nations Headquarters
United Nations HeadquartersThinkstock

The United Nations accused Israel on Tuesday of using excessive force in repelling Gaza rioters attempting to break through Israel’s border fence.

On Monday, 60 Arab rioters were killed after tens of thousands converged on the Israel-Gaza border in a series of violent protests dubbed the “March of Return”.

Rioters hurled firebombs and flaming tires at soldiers, while some attempted to breach Israel’s security fence along the Israel-Gaza frontier.

Israeli snipers opened fire on stone-throwers and rioters who attempted to breach the fence. Gaza health officials claim 60 rioters will killed, and more than 2,700 more wounded.

A day afterwards, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights chastised Israel for its use of force in defending the border from infiltration.

"The mere fact of approaching a fence is not a lethal, life-threatening act, so that does not warrant being shot," UNHCHR spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday.

"It seems that anyone is liable to be shot dead," Colville added. “Lethal force may only be used as a measure of last, not first, resort."

"It is not acceptable to say that 'this is Hamas and therefore this is OK'," Colville continued.

Since March 30th, rioters have clashed daily with Israeli security forces, while terrorists have used the disturbances to attempt terror attacks on security personnel. More than a dozen Hamas-affiliated terrorists have died since the riots began.

On Monday, organizers of the violent demonstrations called for the continuation of riots along the Israeli border through June 5th. The “March of Return” had originally been slated to end on Tuesday.