JERUSALEM: Israeli authorities have caused a forced displacement of Palestinian people in Gaza to an extent that constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Thursday.
The report is the latest in a series from aid groups and international bodies warning about the dire humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave.
“Human Rights Watch found that forced displacement has been widespread, and the evidence shows it has been systematic and part of a state policy. Such acts also constitute crimes against humanity,” the report said.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military or foreign ministry but Israeli authorities have previously rejected such accusations, and say their forces operate in compliance with international law.
The law of armed conflict forbids the forcible displacement of civilian populations from occupied territory, unless necessary for the security of civilians or imperative military reasons.
Since then, the Israeli campaign has killed more than 43,500 people, according to Gaza health authorities, and destroyed much of the enclave’s infrastructure, forcing most of the 2.3 million population to move several times.
For the past month, Israeli troops have moved tens of thousands of people from areas in the north of the enclave as they have sought to destroy Hamas forces the military says have been reforming around the towns of Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun.
Human Rights Watch said the displacement of Palestinians “is likely planned to be permanent in the buffer zones and security corridors,” an action it said would amount to “ethnic cleansing.”
The Israeli military has denied seeking to create permanent buffer zones and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Monday that Palestinians displaced from their homes in northern Gaza would be allowed to return at the end of the war.
Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crimes over Gaza displacements
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Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crimes over Gaza displacements
- The report is the latest in a series from aid groups warning about the dire humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave
- Israeli authorities have previously rejected such accusations, say their forces operate in compliance with international law
UN delegation wraps up Lebanon visit with call for international backing for country at 'pivotal’ juncture
- Security Council President Samuel Zbogar urges intensified support for Lebanese Armed Forces; welcomes government commitment to ensuring a state monopoly on arms
- Council highlights ‘strong commitment’ to Lebanon’s stability, territorial independence
NEW YORK: A UN Security Council delegation wrapped up its visit to Lebanon on Friday, saying the trip underscored international backing for the country at what it described as a pivotal moment for maintaining calm along its southern border and advancing implementation of long-standing UN resolutions.
Samuel Zbogar, Slovenia’s ambassador to the UN and president of the Security Council for December, said the delegation had received “warm hospitality” from Lebanese officials, and highlighted the council’s “strong commitment” to Lebanon’s stability and that of the wider region.
“The council regularly deliberates on the situation in Lebanon and along the Blue Line,” Zbogar told reporters in Beirut.
He said the visit is a further demonstration of the council’s commitment, coming at a pivotal time for implementing relevant resolutions and the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah brokered in November 2024.
During the trip, the delegation held meetings with Lebanon’s president, parliament speaker, prime minister and foreign minister.
Members were also briefed by the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission, UN officials in Lebanon, and a US general involved in the ceasefire mechanism.
The delegation also toured the Blue Line area and UNIFIL headquarters.
Zbogar said discussions focused on Lebanon’s political, economic, and security situation, with particular attention to UNIFIL’s work and the Lebanese Armed Force’s role in maintaining stability.
“This mission is a demonstration of the international community’s support for Lebanon and its people,” he said, reaffirming the council’s backing for the country’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence.
He urged all parties to uphold last year’s ceasefire agreement and noted “progress achieved by Lebanon this year.” He also praised UNIFIL and the UN Special Coordinator’s office for their role in de-escalation efforts, adding that the safety of peacekeepers “must be respected and they must never be targeted.”
Zbogar called for intensified international support to the Lebanese Armed Forces, including for their continued deployment south of the Litani River, and welcomed the government’s commitment to ensuring a state monopoly on arms.
He said the council also used the visit to examine options for implementing Resolution 1701 once UNIFIL leaves Lebanon, saying that the issue will require “thorough conversation during 2026” and that members were awaiting recommendations from the UN secretary-general.
The delegation also reiterated support for Lebanon’s economic and institutional reforms, which international donors have made a condition for unlocking major recovery and reconstruction assistance.
