UN warns of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, West Bank
Shafaq News- Geneva
Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank raise concerns of ethnic cleansing, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warned on Wednesday, urging all states to halt arms transfers to Israel.
In a report, the Office explained that intensified attacks, the methodical destruction of entire neighborhoods, and the denial of humanitarian assistance in Gaza appeared aimed at a “permanent demographic shift,” alongside forcible transfers suggesting lasting displacement of Palestinians.
New @UNHumanRights report raises concerns over ethnic cleansing by Israeli authorities in both Gaza and the West Bank.We urge all States to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel.https://t.co/x1xsA5ifof pic.twitter.com/XNccz4rKfL
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) February 19, 2026
At least 463 Palestinians, including 157 children, have died from starvation in Gaza since November 1, 2024, and until October 2025, with famine conditions resulting from Israeli government actions blocking aid entry and distribution. The agency warned that starvation as a method of war may constitute genocide “if carried out with intent to destroy a protected group.”
In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, OHCHR cited systematic unlawful use of force by Israeli security forces, widespread arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, and extensive demolition of Palestinian homes, alongside incidents of unnecessary or disproportionate force by the Palestinian Authority.
“Impunity is not abstract– it kills,” High Commissioner Volker Turk said. “Accountability is indispensable. It is the prerequisite for a just and durable peace in Palestine and Israel.”
Read more: “Voluntary” or Forced? Inside the renewed push to relocate Palestinians
