The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory has warned of ongoing concerns regarding the risk of ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip, amid continued Israeli military operations and shrinking areas available to civilians, leading to repeated waves of displacement and a severe deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
The Office confirmed in a statement on Friday, as reported by the UN News Centre, that Israeli forces continue to push Palestinians into shrinking areas within the Strip, coinciding with the destruction of remaining civilian infrastructure and targeting sites housing displaced persons. It noted that the expansion of Israeli military deployment areas in recent weeks has caused further displacement in areas of Gaza City and the central part of the Strip.
The Office clarified that it has documented attacks on displaced persons camps in the Shuja'iyya area, along with the destruction of existing residential buildings. A drone strike targeting tents for displaced persons caused a fire that displaced hundreds of families, exacerbating the humanitarian suffering of the population.
The Office's director, Ajit Singh, emphasized that Gaza's residents are living through a nightmare of continuous displacement, as most displaced persons face difficulties returning to their original areas while remaining exposed to the risk of repeated displacement, shelling, and deteriorating living conditions, necessitating urgent intervention.
The Office called on Israel, as the occupying Power, to halt the forced transfer of Palestinian populations and facilitate their safe return to their homes, warning of a worsening humanitarian crisis due to continued restrictions on the entry of shelter materials and essential humanitarian aid.
The Gaza Strip has been experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis since the start of the Israeli genocide war against its residents in October 2023. Widespread attacks and repeated evacuation orders have caused the majority of the Strip's population to be displaced more than once, complicating relief and reconstruction efforts.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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