Palestinians Displaced: Who's to Blame?

Recently, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report that strongly accuses Israel of causing mass displacement of Palestinians in Gaza. This is not just any displacement; it's forced and deliberate, says HRW. The report comes at a time when the situation in Gaza is horrible. A lot of it has been reduced to rubble due to the heavy military offensive by Israel that started after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. According to the UN, about 1. 9 million of Gaza's 2. 2 million people have been forced to leave their homes. HRW believes that these actions by Israel are not just unfortunate incidents but crimes against humanity. They argue that Israel's actions could be labeled as ethnic cleansing. Israel, on the other hand, has a different view. They say their forces are following international laws during these hostilities. They also claim that evacuations are for the safety of civilians and for military reasons. They even accuse Hamas of using civilians as human shields by placing military sites near schools and hospitals. The conflict has been devastating. Over 43, 000 people in Gaza have lost their lives, according to Palestinian officials. Hamas has also taken 250 people hostage and killed 1, 200 Israelis, says Israel. The hostilities have even caught the attention of international courts. The UN's top court is looking into a case brought by South Africa that accuses Israel of genocide. The International Criminal Court is also seeking arrest warrants against Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, along with three now-dead Hamas leaders, for alleged war crimes. But Israel rejects these accusations. Netanyahu even called the request for arrest warrants "absurd and false. " Under international law, forcibly transferring civilians in armed conflicts is not allowed. The only exception is when it's done for the safety of civilians or for necessary military reasons. However, HRW's report claims that Israel failed to meet these criteria. They say Gazans couldn't evacuate safely because Israel attacked evacuation routes and safe zones repeatedly. The report also points out that the destruction caused by Israel's offensive, like flattening homes, hospitals, and other crucial facilities, shows that Israel might not want to let civilians return to some parts of Gaza. To support their argument, the report quoted some Israeli officials saying that Gaza's territory should be reduced and that Gaza's residents should emigrate, with the re-establishment of Israeli settlements in the territory.