The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) announced on Tuesday that Israel’s ongoing siege and recent evacuation order in Gaza may potentially amount to the international crime of forcible transfer of civilians. This statement comes amid a rising death toll in the continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which as of now stands at 4,200.
International law mandates that any evacuation carried out by an occupying power—Israel, in this scenario—must be ensured with satisfactory conditions of hygiene, health, safety, and nutrition for the civilians. Despite this, the UN asserts that there does not appear to be any significant effort by Israel to uphold these rights for the sizable population of about 1.1 million civilians in Gaza who have been ordered to evacuate. The possible impact on the wellbeing of these civilians in the upcoming days, as Israel proceeds with its military operations, has been a point of serious concern for the UN.
The OHCHR has also emphasized that several facilities in Gaza have sustained significant damage, intensifying worries about access to medical care, shelter, sanitation, food, and water among other essential supplies. “Urgent immediate, unimpeded humanitarian access needs to be secured,” the UN stated.
Particularly troubling is the significant number of journalists, medical staff, and UN workers who have lost their lives in the ongoing violence. The UN made particular note of these fatalities, which include “at least 11 Palestinian journalists, 28 medical staff and 14 UN colleagues.” Various international organizations have also expressed concern over these deaths, particularly within the journalistic community.
It’s worth noting that on October 10—just three days after Hamas launched its first attack on Israel—the UN recognized evidence of war crimes committed by both sides of the war.
Earlier this week, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) once again urged civilians to evacuate Northern Gaza in light of planned military actions in the area. This evacuation order was rebuked by the World Health Organization (WHO), citing fears over the healthcare capacity in Southern Gaza, which is already under stress from an influx of civilians from the North.
These cumulating circumstances led the OHCHR to echo the UN’s earlier call this week for a pause in hostilities to accommodate aid delivery to prevent further suffering and death among the civilian population in Gaza. The UN also implored Palestinian armed groups—including Hamas —to immediately and unambiguously release an estimated 199 Israeli civilian hostages and to cease all projectile attacks against Israel.