Politics

Senior Israeli officials have declared their intent to displace the Palestinian population of Gaza with government ministers stating its territory will decrease and that land will be handed to settlers.

In November 2023 Avi Dichter said “We are now rolling out the Gaza Nakba.”

Israel should respect the right of Palestinian civilians to return to the areas in Gaza from which it has displaced them.

The destruction indicates the intention to permanently displace many people.

Israel’s military has intentionally demolished or severely damaged civilian infrastructure with the aim of creating a buffer zone and a corridor.

Israel has left swathes of Gaza uninhabitable.

Israel is also obliged to ensure the return of displaced people to their homes as soon as hostilities cease.

Israeli attacks have damaged and destroyed resources people need to stay alive including hospitals schools water and energy infrastructure bakeries and agricultural land.

Israel is obliged to ensure adequate facilities to accommodate displaced civilians but has blocked humanitarian aid water electricity and fuel from reaching civilians in Gaza.

Evacuation orders have been inconsistent inaccurate and frequently not communicated to civilians with enough time to allow evacuations or at all.

Israeli forces have repeatedly struck designated evacuation routes and safe zones rather than ensure security for displaced civilians.

Israel’s evacuation system has severely harmed the population and often spread fear and anxiety.

Human Rights Watch found no plausible imperative military reason to justify Israel’s mass displacement of nearly all of Gaza’s population.

Human Rights Watch research shows this claim to be largely false.

Israeli officials claim the military has lawfully evacuated civilians to attack the groups while limiting civilian harm because Palestinian armed groups are fighting from among the civilian population.

Governments should publicly condemn Israel’s forced displacement and suspend military assistance and arms sales to Israel.

The laws of armed conflict permit displacement of civilians only exceptionally for imperative military reasons or for the population’s security and require safeguards.

Israel should stop collectively punishing civilians in Gaza.

This amounts to a crime against humanity.

Displacement is also systematic intentional and unlawful forming part of Israeli state policy.