UN warns of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, West Bank
NEW YORK, Feb. 19 (YPA) – The United Nations expressed concern Thursday about the potential for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as a result of intensified Israeli attacks and the forced displacement and transfer of Palestinian civilians.
A report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated, “The intensified attacks, the systematic destruction of entire neighborhoods, and the obstruction of humanitarian aid appear designed to create a permanent demographic change in Gaza.”
The report emphasized that “this, along with forced displacement that appears aimed at creating a permanent displacement, raises concerns about ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank.”
The office called for justice for Palestinian victims, stressing that accountability should form the basis for rebuilding Gaza.
Israeli occupation forces continue their ongoing violations, including shelling, demolition, and destruction, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 600 Palestinians since the ceasefire in October.
In the occupied West Bank, the occupation forces have intensified daily raids and arrests, storming homes, carrying out house demolitions, and forcibly displacing residents from their communities.
@E.Y.M