The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva has published an alarming report on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. The document points to systematic actions by the Israeli army that may aim to permanently alter the demographics of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. UN experts cite the methodical destruction of residential neighborhoods and the blocking of humanitarian aid as the main tools leading to the forced displacement of the Palestinian population.
Accusations of ethnic cleansing
The UN points to systematic destruction of neighborhoods and blockade of aid as tools for permanent demographic change in the region.
Medical blockade
Only a small percentage of seriously ill Palestinians receive permission for medical evacuation from the Gaza Strip to other countries.
Period covered by the report
The document analyzes actions taken between November 2024 and October 2025 in the occupied territories.
The latest report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) sheds dramatic light on the conflict in the Middle East. According to the document, Israel's military actions from November 2024 to October 2025 exhibit characteristics of a systematic campaign aimed at removing the Palestinian population. Experts highlight the methodical destruction of entire city blocks and the deliberate restriction of food and medicine supplies, creating conditions that make life impossible for civilians. The concept of ethnic cleansing, although not directly named as a separate crime in international law, encompasses actions aimed at making a given area ethnically homogeneous through the use of force or intimidation, which is associated with crimes against humanity. The situation concerns not only the Gaza Strip but increasingly also the West Bank. The report emphasizes that the forced population transfers are not temporary evacuations for security reasons but aim at a permanent demographic change in the region. Additionally, the UN warns of the critical situation of patients requiring urgent medical assistance. The Israeli blockade allows only a small percentage of seriously ill people to leave the enclave, leading to numerous preventable deaths. On Wednesday, two more people were killed as a result of shelling, and thousands are waiting for the possibility of evacuation through the Rafah crossing. „The intensification of attacks, systematic destruction of entire neighborhoods, and denial of humanitarian aid appear to aim at a permanent demographic change in the Gaza Strip.” — OHCHR Report The international community is watching the developments with concern, while civilian structures in Gaza are completely breaking down. Humanitarian organizations are calling for the immediate opening of medical corridors and an end to actions that violate international law.