New York [US], May 7 : The United Nations on Wednesday expressed concerns over Israel's reported plans to forcibly transfer Gaza's population to a confined area in the south of the Strip, along with threats by Israeli officials to deport Palestinians outside of Gaza.
United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said that such actions risk creating conditions of life increasingly incompatible with the continued existence of Palestinians in Gaza as a group.
In a statement, Turk on Wednesday said, "Israel's reported plans to forcibly transfer Gaza's population to a small area in the south of the strip and threats by Israeli officials to deport Palestinians outside of Gaza further aggravate concerns that Israel's actions are aimed at inflicting on Palestinians conditions of life increasingly incompatible with their continued existence in Gaza as a group"
He added, "There is no reason to believe that doubling down on military strategies, which, for a year and eight months, have not led to a durable resolution, including the release of all hostages, will now succeed. Instead, expanding the offensive on Gaza will almost certainly cause further mass displacement, more deaths and injuries of innocent civilians, and the destruction of Gaza's little remaining infrastructure."
Turk further warned that these actions, along with ongoing military operations and a near-total blockade on basic goods, could further aggravate the misery and suffering of the Gaza residents.
"This would only compound the misery and suffering inflicted by the complete blockade on the entry of basic goods for almost nine weeks now. Gaza's residents have already been deprived of all lifesaving necessities, particularly food, with relentless Israeli attacks on community kitchens and those trying to maintain a minimum of law and order. Any use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of war constitutes a war crime," Turk said.
He added, "The only lasting solution to this crisis lies through full compliance with international law, including as articulated by the International Court of Justice in its 2024 Advisory Opinion and its orders on provisional measures."
Notably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said that the population of Gaza will be displaced to the south after his security cabinet approved an expanded military operation in the enclave that a minister described as a plan to "conquer" the territory.
According to CNN, the vote on Sunday came hours after the military said it would mobilise tens of thousands of reservists, strengthening its capacity to operate in the besieged Palestinian territory.
In a video posted on X on Monday, Netanyahu had said, "One thing will be clear: there will be no in-and-out. We'll call up reserves to come and hold territory. We are not going to enter and then exit the area, only to carry out raids afterwards. That's not the plan. The intention is the opposite."
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