Following remarks by two Israeli Ministers calling for the transfer of the population of Gaza to other countries, a number of countries have expressed their criticism.
Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that he is “very disturbed” by the statements made by the Israeli Ministers.
Israeli far-right Ministers; Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich had called for the displacement of Palestinians from the coastal territory and the building of Israeli settlements.
“85 percent of people in Gaza are already internally displaced. They have the right to return to their homes,” Turk said in a post on X.
He also pointed out that international law bans “the forcible transfer of protected persons within or deportation from occupied territory.”
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry also condemned “in the strongest terms” Israeli statements regarding the displacement of the population of the Gaza Strip.
“The foreign ministry confirms that the policies of collective punishment and forcible displacement that the occupation authorities are practising against the residents of Gaza will not change the fact that the Gaza Strip is Palestinian land, and will remain Palestinian,” it said in a statement.
The foreign ministry slammed these statements as “an extension of Israeli violations against the Palestinian people and contempt for international law.”
Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country rejects “extremist remarks” by the two Israeli Ministers.
It stressed the importance of efforts to activate international accounting mechanisms towards the persistence of the Israeli government in violating international humanitarian laws.
Moreover, the Netherlands said that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s calls for the voluntary migration of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip are “irresponsible.”
“The Netherlands rejects any calls for Palestinian displacement from Gaza or reduction of Palestinian territory,” it said.
“This does not fit a future two-state solution, with a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel,” it added.
Meanwhile, the government media office in Gaza disclosed in a statement that for the past three days, “the occupation army has committed six massacres by forcing civilians to flee their homes to other areas it claimed were safe in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, and then bombed them, resulting in the death of 31 people.”
It added, “The Israeli occupation army has repeated the crime of forcing civilians, under threat of weapons and death, to flee from their safe homes and residential neighbourhoods to other areas that it claimed were safe, but it bombed them.”
The Israeli army has expanded its military operations inside the Central Governorate, resulting in a new wave of displacement.
Thousands of citizens were seen fleeing from the Bureij, Maghazi and Nuseirat governorates into Deir al-Balah on Thursday morning.
The Israeli army announced, in its leaflets dropped by warplanes, that its forces were operating intensively in these areas, and called on its residents to immediately evacuate to the city of Deir al-Balah, considering that these areas had become a “dangerous combat zone.”
These new warnings forced many families to leave their homes urgently, and another large displacement movement was observed from the centre of the Gaza Strip, towards the areas of Deir al-Balah and the southern city of Rafah.
“Not Realistic” For Palestinians To Leave Gaza
Miki Zohar, Israel’s Culture and Sports Minister, said that it is “not realistic” for Palestinians to leave Gaza, even if some Israelis would like to see it happen.
“It’s not realistic, and it’s clear that the international community will not accept it,” Zohar told an Israeli news site, adding that this subject should not be discussed publicly.
He said, “With things like this, even if you have a belief or a goal like this, it can be discussed and debated behind closed doors.”
READ ALSO: GBA President Urges Unity Ahead Of Elections, IEA Director Calls For Accountability
