UN report raises ethnic cleansing concerns in Gaza, West Bank

A United Nations human rights report published Thursday raised grave concerns that Israeli military and administrative actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank may amount to ethnic cleansing, documenting a pattern of intensified attacks, systematic destruction of neighborhoods, and denial of humanitarian assistance aimed at permanent demographic change. Covering November 1, 2024 to October 31, 2025, the report described unprecedented civilian casualties, famine conditions, and infrastructure obliteration creating "conditions of life increasingly incompatible" with Palestinian existence in Gaza.

Gaza: Starvation and Civilian Targeting

The report documented at least 463 Palestinian deaths from starvation, including 157 children, directly attributed to restrictions on humanitarian aid deliveries. It raised concerns that Israeli forces may have intentionally targeted civilians or launched attacks with disproportionate harm, potentially constituting war crimes. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned of a "pervasive climate of impunity" and urged states to halt arms transfers that could facilitate violations, stressing that accountability is "indispensable" for just and durable peace.

West Bank: Systematic Discrimination and Violence

In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the report cited "systematic" unlawful use of force, arbitrary detention, torture, and widespread home demolitions, describing policies that "systematically discriminate, oppress, control and dominate" Palestinians. It documented 79 Palestinian deaths in Israeli detention during the reporting period, with detainees from Gaza remaining particularly vulnerable to torture. The report also noted that Hamas and other armed groups continued holding Israeli and foreign hostages captured October 7, 2023, with testimonies describing torture and abuse.

Ceasefire Context and Continued Violations

A US-backed ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since October 10, halting Israel's two-year war that has killed over 72,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 171,000 since October 2023. Despite the truce, Gaza's Health Ministry reports Israeli forces have committed hundreds of violations through shelling and gunfire, killing 603 Palestinians and injuring 1,618 others. Israel has simultaneously escalated West Bank operations, killing at least 1,112 Palestinians and wounding approximately 11,500. The report urged states to ensure Palestinians' immediate participation in governance structures to determine and shape Gaza's reconstruction.