UN Office: Fears of ethnic cleansing in Gaza as displacement expands and space available to Palestinians shrinks

The UN Office for Human Rights warned of fears of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, as Israeli forces push Palestinians into an ever-shrinking area and expand their deployment westward, leading to displacement in Shujaiya, al-Bureij, Deir al-Balah, and al-Maghazi. The office documented a drone attack on tents of displaced people on October 25, causing the displacement of 200 families.

The UN Office for Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territory warned of ongoing fears of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, as Israeli forces push Palestinians into an ever-shrinking area, aiming to expand their deployment to cover 70% of the Strip. The office documented the expansion of deployment areas westward, leading to displacement in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City and the eastern areas of al-Bureij, Deir al-Balah, and al-Maghazi. The office reported that an Israeli drone dropped munitions on tents of displaced people at the Shujaiya junction on October 25, sparking a fire that lasted five hours and caused the displacement of 200 families comprising 800 people. The head of the office, Ajit Sunghay, described the nightmare of displacement as acute and chronic, noting that the chances of the displaced returning are almost nonexistent. The office stressed that Israel, as the occupying power, must stop forced transfer, describing it as a war crime that may constitute a crime against humanity. It added that over 80% of buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and restrictions on the entry of shelter materials are exacerbating the crisis.