The United Nations rights office spokeswoman warned Israel against the ‘forced displacement of civilians’ in the Gaza Strip, expressing concerns about the safety and well-being of the 1.1 million civilians ordered to move as part of the temporary evacuation, and she noted that Israel has not adequately fulfilled its obligations under international law.
On Tuesday, the United Nations warned Israel against the “forced displacement of civilians” in the Gaza Strip, which could breach international law.
The UN Human Rights office said that a legal temporary evacuation of civilians came with obligations on Israel, which, the Geneva-based agency said, it appears to have not attempted to fulfill.Israel has demanded that residents of north Gaza leave for the south, hoping to clear the area of civilians in preparation for a complex urban ground assault.
“We have grave fears about the toll on civilians in the coming days. Military operations show no signs of abating,” UN Rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a media briefing.
“International law requires that any lawful temporary evacuation by Israel, as the occupying power, of an area on the basis of the security of the population or imperative military reasons, must be accompanied by the provision of proper accommodation for all evacuees, undertaken under satisfactory conditions of hygiene, health, safety, and nutrition.
“There appears to have been no attempt by Israel to ensure this for the 1.1 million civilians ordered to move.”
“We are concerned that this order combined with the imposition of a ‘complete siege’ on Gaza may not be considered as lawful temporary evacuation and would therefore amount to a forcible transfer of civilians, in breach of international law.”
Israel has responded with withering air strikes on Hamas-controlled Gaza by deploying tens of thousands of troops to the border in preparation for a full-scale ground offensive.
With AFP
