The United Nations' Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, expressed the international organization's concern over Israeli officials' statements regarding the deportation of Palestinians to other countries under the guise of "voluntary migration." He emphasized the UN's rejection of any attempt to alter the demographic makeup in the Gaza Strip.
During a Friday evening Security Council session, requested by Algeria to address the situation of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, Griffiths affirmed that the forced collective displacement of Palestinians would constitute a clear violation of international law.
Griffiths also noted that delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza has become nearly impossible, adding, "In this scenario, moving the conflict southward will force people to flee to neighboring countries. Some states have declared their capacity to host those exiting Gaza, and they must allow those individuals to return in accordance with international law."
Furthermore, Ilze Brands Kehris, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights at the United Nations, stated that the mass forced displacement began on October 12, following an Israeli military order to evacuate the northern part of Gaza. She highlighted that 90% of the community in Gaza faces severe food insecurity and stressed that starving the civilian population as a war tactic is prohibited.
The UN official emphasized the need to ensure that Palestinians forcibly expelled from Gaza are not prevented from returning and that a strong guarantee to enable these people to go back to their homes is provided.
Tragic Situation in Gaza
Concerning the situation in Gaza, Griffiths mentioned that the events in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories over the past 100 days did not take civilians into account. He stated that the situation in Gaza is tragic.
He pointed out that shelters are overflowing and that water and food supplies are close to depletion. He also noted that 134 facilities operated by UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) had been bombed, resulting in the death of 148 UN employees.
Humanitarian relief facilities, despite being known to the Israeli military, have been targeted, putting humanitarian aid workers at significant risk, Griffiths said. He expressed dismay over the Israeli military's evacuation order, stressing that airstrikes were concentrated in areas designated as safe havens for civilians. He confirmed that with ongoing military operations, there is no safe place for civilians in Gaza.
UN employees who have been able to reach northern Gaza described the scene as indescribably horrific, with bodies scattered on the roads and people suffering from hunger.
United States and Russia Stances
The US representative to the United Nations Security Council, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, expressed Washington's rejection of Israeli ministers and legislators' statements calling for the resettlement of Palestinians outside Gaza. She added that such remarks only make securing lasting peace more difficult.
On the other hand, the Russian delegate to the Security Council, Vassily Nebenzia, warned that the continued violent expulsion of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza would inevitably shake the entire region and have grave consequences for the whole world.
Since October 7, the Israeli military has waged a devastating war on Gaza, which has resulted in 23,708 martyrs and 60,005 wounded as of Friday, most of whom are children and women. The destruction of infrastructure and unprecedented humanitarian disaster, according to the local authorities and the United Nations.
