UN warns of rising ‘ethnic cleansing’ fears in Gaza

Israel’s increased attacks and forcible transfers of Palestinians “raise concerns over ethnic cleansing” in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the United Nations said on Thursday. The UN human rights office said the cumulative impact of Israel’s military conduct during the war in Gaza, plus its blockade of the territory, had inflicted living conditions “increasingly incompatible with Palestinians’ continued existence as a group in Gaza”.
“Intensified attacks, the methodical destruction of entire neighbourhoods and the denial of humanitarian assistance appeared to aim at a permanent demographic shift in Gaza”, the office said in a report.
“This, together with forcible transfers, which appear to aim at a permanent displacement, raise concerns over ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank.”
The report looked at November 1, 2024 to October 31, 2025.
In the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem, the report said the “systematic use of unlawful force” by Israeli security forces, “widespread” arbitrary detention and the “extensive unlawful demolition” of Palestinian homes was being carried out to “systematically discriminate, oppress, control and dominate the Palestinian people”.
“These violations were “altering the character, status and demographic composition of the occupied West Bank, raising serious concerns of ethnic cleansing”, it said.
In Gaza, the report condemned the continued killing and maiming of “unprecedented numbers of civilians”, the spread of famine, and destruction of the “remaining civilian infrastructure”.
During the 12 months covered in the report, at least 463 Palestinians, including 157 children, starved to death in Gaza, it said.
“Palestinians faced the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risking being killed while trying to get food,” said the report.
“The situation of famine and malnutrition was the direct result of actions taken by the Israeli government,” with the deaths and suffering from hunger “foreseeable and repeatedly foretold”.
Across the reporting period, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups continued to hold Israeli and foreign hostages seized on October 7, 2023 — dead or alive — as “bargaining tools”.
The rights office said the hostages’ treatment amounted to war crimes.
“Israeli forces, Hamas, and other Palestinian armed groups committed serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, gross violations and abuses of international human rights law, and atrocity crimes,” the report concluded. — AFP