Human rights group accuses Israel of 'crimes against humanity'

(CLO) According to a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), Israel has conducted a campaign of mass forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, which may constitute "war crimes and crimes against humanity".

The 154-page report, released by the US-based human rights group on Thursday, details more than 13 months of widespread devastation in Gaza.

Most of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced by the Israeli military multiple times since October 2023. Photo: Reuters

According to the United Nations, about 1.9 million Palestinians have been forced to leave their homes, accounting for more than 90% of the territory's population.

In a press release, HRW accused Israeli forces of carrying out controlled demolitions of homes and civilian infrastructure to create "buffer zones" and "security corridors" from which Palestinians would likely not be able to return.

“The Israeli government cannot claim to protect Palestinians when it is killing them en route to evacuation, bombing safe zones, and cutting off their food, water, and sanitation services,” said Nadia Hardman, refugee rights researcher at HRW.

Israel has been repeatedly accused of human rights violations during its military campaign in Gaza, and Hamas has faced similar accusations. In October, a United Nations investigation concluded that Israel had a policy of “deliberately” destroying Gaza’s health system, which may constitute a war crime.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or forcing its residents to leave. However, several Israeli ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have publicly supported the idea of pushing for Gaza residents to leave.

The HRW report calls on countries to stop selling weapons to Israel and impose sanctions to force it to comply with its international obligations to protect civilians. The organization also calls on the International Criminal Court to investigate allegations of forced displacement of Palestinians as crimes against humanity.

Hong Hanh (according to Reuters, CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/to-chuc-nhan-quyen-cao-buoc-israel-vi-pham-toi-ac-chong-lai-loai-nguoi-post321433.html