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The United Nations has raised serious alarm over the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, warning that the situation may amount to crimes under international law.
Forced Displacement and Shrinking Safe Zones
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that ongoing evacuation orders by Israeli forces are driving Palestinians into smaller and smaller pockets of land.
These areas, she pointed out, lack access to essential services, leaving displaced civilians in increasingly dire conditions.
Speaking from Geneva, Shamdasani emphasized that this pattern of displacement within an occupied territory could be classified as a “forcible transfer,” a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
She explained that such an act is not only a breach of international humanitarian law but also a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute.
Israeli military operations, she added, continue to strike throughout Gaza, making it impossible to find safety anywhere in the region.
Civilian Targeting Could Constitute War Crimes
Shamdasani did not mince words regarding the conduct of the conflict.
She warned that “deliberately targeting civilians who are not directly participating in hostilities constitutes a war crime.”
The statement underscores rising international concern about how the war is being waged and its impact on Gaza’s civilian population.
Concerns Over Conditions That Threaten Group Survival
Beyond the immediate violence, Shamdasani also highlighted a broader concern regarding the living conditions imposed on Palestinians in Gaza.
She said the UN Office fears that these conditions are becoming “increasingly incompatible with their continued existence as a group in the territory.”
That warning hints at potential long-term consequences for the Palestinian community if the situation remains unchanged.
As international scrutiny grows, the UN’s latest remarks add further urgency to calls for an end to hostilities and protection for civilians under international law.
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