Human Rights Watch Reports on Israel’s Campaign in Gaza
Israeli authorities have been accused of orchestrating a systematic campaign of forced displacement in Gaza, which amounts to crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, according to a comprehensive new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW). This 154-page document meticulously outlines the extensive destruction wrought by Israel’s military operations over the past year, which have resulted in the displacement of over 90% of Gaza’s population.
The researchers gathered evidence through interviews with displaced Palestinians, as well as the analysis of satellite imagery, evacuation orders issued by Israeli forces, and statements from high-ranking Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Nadia Hardman, the author of the report, stated, “Senior officials in the Israeli government and the War Cabinet have consistently expressed their intent to forcibly displace the population from the early days of the conflict to more than a year later, with government ministers asserting that the territory of Gaza will diminish.” HRW’s report predominantly targets the evacuation orders issued by Israeli forces, which were presented as measures to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians.
However, Human Rights Watch argues that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have failed to provide safe passage or refuge for Palestinians as claimed. Hardman emphasized, “The Israeli government cannot assert that it is protecting Palestinians when it is causing fatalities along escape routes, bombing so-called safe zones, and depriving civilians of essential resources such as food, water, and sanitation.”
She further elaborated, “The forced displacement is not only widespread but systematic and intentional, constituting a state policy that amounts to a crime against humanity.” In regions where the military has raised, extended, and cleared land for buffer zones and security corridors, HRW concludes that these actions by Israeli authorities constitute ethnic cleansing.
The report includes several recommendations aimed at the international community, such as:
- Imposing targeted sanctions
- Suspending arms transfers
- Initiating an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC)
This report has emerged amidst an ongoing Israeli military campaign in northern Gaza, which is likely to have triggered a new wave of displacement affecting hundreds of thousands of civilians. Recently, IDF officer Itzik Cohen made a controversial statement to Israeli reporters, declaring, “There is no intention of allowing the residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return to their homes.” He further claimed that humanitarian aid would only be permitted to enter through southern Gaza, asserting that “there are no residents left” in the north.
This assertion stands in stark contrast to a recent assessment by the United States, which indicates that Israel has not violated American laws regarding the blocking of aid supplies. This comes after a 30-day deadline set by the U.S. for Israel to enhance humanitarian aid access in Gaza, or risk a reduction in military assistance, expired without action.
Despite the alarming findings reported by humanitarian groups, the U.S. State Department has announced that it will not suspend military assistance to Israel. Aid agencies have described the conditions in northern Gaza as catastrophic, with many areas facing imminent famine as a result of Israel’s ongoing military actions.
