By Olivia Le Poidevin
GENEVA (Reuters) -The Israeli government has shown a clear intent to establish permanent control over Gaza and to ensure a Jewish majority in the occupied West Bank, a United Nations commission said in a report on Tuesday.
The U.N. report details Israeli authorities’ extensive, systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure in Gaza’s corridors and buffer zone – resulting in Israel expanding control to 75% of the Gaza Strip by July this year.
“Israeli forces have also intentionally altered the geography of Gaza” through the creation of military corridors, expanding the border buffer zone and establishing security zones, the report by the U.N.’s Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory said.
Israel maintains that its war is not against the population of Gaza but against the Hamas militant group whose fighters led the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that precipitated the war.
ISRAEL SAYS REPORT ‘HAS EVERYTHING BACKWARDS’
The Israeli mission in Geneva dismissed the report’s findings.
“Hamas has genocidal intent towards Israel, the report has everything backwards. This Commission does not miss an opportunity to reveal its true character and politically-driven agenda.”
The Commission also found that since October 2023, Israeli policies have demonstrated clear intent to forcibly transfer Palestinians, expand Jewish settlements, and annex the entire West Bank.
“Increasing violent attacks by settlers have resulted in the forcible displacement of communities and subsequent Judaization of areas of the West Bank,” the report stated.
It also highlights military operations in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams refugee camps, which resulted in destruction of homes and infrastructure and displacement of residents – actions the Commission deems unjustified militarily and tantamount to collective punishment.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has previously said the operation had sharply reduced the threat from armed Palestinian groups.
Hamas’ October 7 attack killed 1,200 people and its fighters captured 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
The subsequent war in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, while a global hunger monitor says part of the territory is suffering from famine.
(Reporting by Olivia Le PoidevinEditing by Matthias Williams, Peter Graff and Ros Russell)
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