UN Committee Warns of Potential Large-Scale Displacement of Palestinians as ‘israeli’ Actions Criticized
A United Nations special committee has issued a warning that the world may be witnessing a scenario akin to "another Nakba," as the Israeli government continues with the forced mass displacement of Palestinians amid its prolonged conflict in the embattled Gaza Strip.
On Friday, the UN Special Committee dedicated to investigating Israeli practices impacting the human rights of Palestinians and other Arabs in occupied territories raised serious concerns. The committee accused Israel of engaging in “ethnic cleansing” and causing “unimaginable suffering” among Palestinians.
The advisory emerges following the Israeli administration’s announcement that its military operations in Gaza will continue until the displacement of “hundreds of thousands” of Palestinians has been achieved.
For Palestinians, the prospect of forced displacement brings to mind memories of the “Nakba” or catastrophe, a term used to describe the mass displacement during the conflict that followed the establishment of the state in 1948.
In 1948, around 760,000 Palestinians were compelled to leave their homes due to the circumstances surrounding the occupation of Palestine.
The United Nations committee has issued a statement expressing concern over Israel’s actions, stating that the nation persists in causing significant suffering to those residing under its occupation. The committee also highlighted Israel’s swift expansion of land confiscation, which it views as part of broader colonial ambitions.
The events unfolding may potentially mirror the circumstances of another Nakba.
The report highlights that the primary focus of the occupying regime is wider colonial expansion. It further notes that security operations are being employed as a cover for accelerated land acquisition, large-scale displacement, dispossession, demolitions, forced evictions, and ethnic cleansing, with the ultimate aim of replacing Palestinian communities with Jewish settlers.
In mid-March, Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza, breaking a two-month ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
The Israeli government has been intensifying its military operations in Gaza, creating conditions that render the area nearly unlivable, seemingly in an effort to pressure Palestinians into leaving the region.
Over the past 70 days, Israel has obstructed the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, amid renewed hostilities resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians due to intensified military actions.
The prolonged interruption of essential supplies has become the longest period of aid disruption since the onset of the genocidal war on Gaza 19 months ago. This situation has worsened malnutrition and hunger among the already vulnerable population of 2.3 million residents.
The ongoing Israeli conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 52,787 Palestinians, with injuries reported among 119,349 individuals. The majority of those affected have been women and children.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country’s former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Tel Aviv is currently confronting a genocide lawsuit at the International Court of Justice concerning its military actions in Gaza.
