Gaza Herald – The United Nations raised a serious alarm Thursday over the escalating risk of ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, citing a pattern of Israeli attacks, forced displacement, and systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid.
A report from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights suggested that the destruction of entire neighborhoods and the deliberate denial of basic services pointed to a strategy of permanent demographic change.
The report, covering November 1, 2024, through October 31, 2025, found that Israeli policies of forced transfer combined with persistent attacks created conditions threatening the very existence of Palestinian communities. It warned that these actions, if sustained, could amount to ethnic cleansing in both Gaza and the West Bank.
In Gaza, the UN documented unprecedented civilian casualties, widespread starvation, and the destruction of critical infrastructure, leaving populations in conditions incompatible with continued life as a functioning community. The attacks deliberately targeted civilians and civilian structures in ways that grossly outweighed any possible military advantage, constituting potential war crimes.
The report confirmed at least 463 deaths from severe hunger in Gaza, including 157 children, directly resulting from Israeli restrictions on aid access and distribution. It stated that deliberate starvation as a weapon of war could rise to the level of a crime against humanity or genocide if conducted systematically against a national, ethnic, or religious group.
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the UN noted the systematic use of excessive force, mass arbitrary arrests, torture, and widespread home demolitions. These measures were applied within a framework of discriminatory policies aimed at suppressing Palestinians and consolidating Israeli control. Seventy-nine Palestinians died in Israeli detention during the period covered, with Gaza detainees disproportionately affected by abuse.
The report highlighted the pervasive climate of impunity, citing the lack of meaningful judicial accountability for serious human rights violations. It urged all nations to halt arms transfers to Israel that could facilitate violations and called for urgent steps to protect civilians and uphold their rights, warning that continued inaction would deepen the humanitarian and legal crisis on the ground.
