Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israel of carrying out unsafe and illegal evacuations in northern Gaza, describing them as brutal and potentially paving the way for further crimes against civilians. According to the organisation, Israeli forces have been ordering Palestinians to leave shelters, including schools, detaining men, and attacking or destroying the shelters afterwards. Recent actions have reportedly resulted in civilian deaths, including children.
HRW highlighted that the ongoing Israeli offensive in northern Gaza has displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, forcing them to move south to overcrowded areas like Al-Mawasi. These areas lack necessities such as food, water, and medical care and have also been subject to repeated bombardment.
The organization warned that Israel’s forced evacuations, carried out without ensuring the safety of civilians, could constitute war crimes. HRW called on the international community to intervene to stop these atrocities.
Lama Fakih, a senior HRW official, emphasised that deliberate forced displacement without safety measures violates international law, describing it as a war crime.
The HRW findings are supported by evidence from videos, photographs, satellite imagery, media reports, and data from UN agencies, all of which indicate mass forced displacement and attacks on civilians in Gaza. The report also notes the destruction of remaining refuges, such as shelters and hospitals.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that over 60,000 people were displaced in October alone from areas like Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Beit Hanoun. HRW also accused Israel of employing collective punishment and starvation as tactics of war, both of which are considered war crimes under international law.
