New York (Web Desk): Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, particularly through the mass forced displacement of Palestinians, which the organization describes as ethnic cleansing.
In a comprehensive 154-page report released on November 14, 2024, the HRW has outlined over a year of systematic destruction and displacement in Gaza, a situation that has left around 1.9 million Palestinians — more than 90% of Gaza’s population — displaced.
The report, titled "Hopeless, Starving, and Besieged: Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in Gaza," focuses on Israel’s military actions, including the deliberate demolition of homes, civilian infrastructure, and the creation of buffer zones along Gaza’s borders.
The HRW stated that these actions violate international law, particularly the laws of armed conflict, which only allow for the displacement of civilians under strict conditions and for urgent military reasons.
The organization concludes that there is no valid military justification for the scale of displacement currently occurring in Gaza.
Among the key points raised in the report, HRW highlights the attacks on evacuation routes and designated safe zones.
These areas, meant to provide civilians a way to flee the fighting, have been repeatedly targeted by Israeli airstrikes and artillery. HRW also documents numerous issues with Israel’s evacuation system, such as confusing or inaccurate orders, insufficient time for civilians to flee, and a lack of support for vulnerable populations, including those with disabilities.
Additionally, HRW points out that Israel has failed to meet its obligations as an occupying power, which include providing for the basic needs of displaced civilians and facilitating their return after hostilities end.
Instead, Israeli forces have blocked critical humanitarian aid, destroyed essential services like hospitals and schools, and demolished infrastructure vital for survival, including water and energy systems, bakeries, and agricultural land.
The report also stresses that Israel’s actions in Gaza are part of a broader pattern of displacement that stretches back to 1948, when a significant portion of Gaza’s population became refugees during the Nakba.
Many of those currently displaced are descendants of Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes during that period, and HRW warns that the current situation represents a second Nakba for these families.
HRW argues that Israel’s policies amount to ethnic cleansing, with the goal of permanently altering Gaza’s demographic and geographical makeup. The organization’s findings suggest that the mass displacement is not an unintended consequence of military operations but rather a deliberate strategy aimed at creating uninhabitable zones and securing land for future Israeli control.
In response to these actions, HRW has called on the international community to take stronger measures. It urges governments to condemn Israel’s actions publicly, implement targeted sanctions, and halt arms sales to Israel, citing concerns over complicity in these ongoing violations. HRW also calls on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the forced displacement of Palestinians as a potential crime against humanity.
Ultimately, HRW argued that Israel's actions in Gaza represent a coordinated, state-driven effort to carry out widespread human rights abuses, leaving thousands of Palestinians without homes and basic services.
The organization stressed that the international community must hold Israel accountable for these violations and ensure that the rights of displaced Palestinians are protected.