The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has warned that Israeli military actions in Gaza are raising fears of ethnic cleansing, as Palestinians are forced into an ever-shrinking part of the territory. Over the past two weeks, the UN agency documented the westward expansion of Israeli forces, triggering new displacement in Shujayea, Gaza City, and areas of central Gaza.
The Israeli army is advancing past its deployment line, called the "Yellow Line," and the OHCHR cautioned that forces appear to treat it as a kill zone, preventing Palestinians from returning to what is left of their homes on the other side. The military is destroying remaining civilian infrastructure and attacking displacement sites, the UN agency said.
Israeli attacks continued despite a ceasefire that began on October 11, 2025. Gaza's Ministry of Health reports that at least 1,574 people have been killed and 5,687 wounded since the agreement took hold. The Israeli military's stated aim is to increase its deployment area to 70 percent of Gaza's territory.
The OHCHR said at least two Israeli attacks were reported on displacement camps in the Shujayea area. It also said it received reports that an Israeli drone dropped munitions on Sunday on a tent housing displaced Palestinians. The Palestinian Ministry of Public Works and Housing said the fire displaced 200 families, comprising 800 people. Ajith Sunghay, the OHCHR's head in occupied Palestine, called the displacement a "nightmare" that is both "acute and chronic", and said those uprooted before the ceasefire have little chance of returning to the areas they fled.
Since the start of the war in October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed at least 74,570 people and wounded 175,808 others, according to the enclave's Ministry of Health. Human rights and aid groups have repeatedly called for an end to forced displacement and attacks on shelters.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The UN's use of the term 'ethnic cleansing' significantly escalates the international legal and political pressure related to the conflict.
- The continued deaths and displacement under the ceasefire highlight its fragility and failure to protect civilians.
- The stated aim of military control over 70% of Gaza suggests a permanent change in the territory's landscape and habitable zones.
Background
The Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023 and has led to mass displacement and a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A ceasefire was reached in October 2025, but violations have been reported. The OHCHR has previously documented civilian harm.
Key Perspectives
UN (OHCHR): Israeli actions are raising concerns of ethnic cleansing, with the military treating the Yellow Line as a kill zone and destroying remaining infrastructure.
Ajith Sunghay, OHCHR head in occupied Palestine: Described the pattern of displacement as a "nightmare" that is acute and chronic, with little prospect of return for those displaced before the ceasefire.
Palestinian Ministry of Public Works and Housing: Reported that an Israeli drone strike on a tent camp in Shujayea displaced 200 families.
What to Watch
- Whether the Israeli military continues its push westward and reaches its stated 70% territory goal.
- The response from the United Nations Security Council and international community to the ethnic cleansing warning.
- The status of the ceasefire as casualties continue to mount.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedHeadline/opening: The UN warned that Israeli actions are raising fears of ethnic cleansing as Palestinians are displaced into a shrinking part of Gaza.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Israeli forces in Gaza are displacing more Palestinians and their actions continue to raise concerns of ethnic cleansing, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has warned. Palestinians are being repeatedly displaced by Israeli forces into a decreasing fraction of the besieged enclave”
- SupportedSummary: The ceasefire has not halted displacement; Israeli forces are moving past the Yellow Line, with a stated aim of deploying across 70 percent of Gaza.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The Israeli army is further encroaching on areas past its deployment line, also known as the “Yellow Line,”; as it continues its stated aim of increasing its military deployment area to 70 percent of Gaza’s territory.”
- SupportedOver the past two weeks, OHCHR documented westward expansion of Israeli forces that triggered new displacement in Shujayea, Gaza City and central Gaza.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The OHCHR documented the westward expansion of the Israeli military over the past two weeks, triggering new displacement of Palestinians in Shujayea, Gaza City, and in eastern Bureij, eastern Deir el-Balah and eastern al-Maghazi in Central Gaza.”
- SupportedOHCHR said Israeli forces appear to treat the Yellow Line as a kill zone, preventing Palestinians from returning to homes on the other side.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““Israeli forces appear to treat the yellow line as a kill zone,” preventing Palestinians from returning to what is left of their homes on the other side, the UN agency said.”
- SupportedOHCHR said the military is destroying remaining civilian infrastructure and attacking displacement sites.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The OHCHR cautioned that the Israeli military is destroying remaining civilian infrastructure and attacking displacement sites”
- SupportedIsraeli attacks continued despite a ceasefire that began on October 11, 2025.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Despite an ongoing ceasefire , Israeli attacks on Gaza have continued”
- SupportedGaza's Ministry of Health reported at least 1,574 killed and 5,687 wounded since the ceasefire agreement took effect.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “with at least 1,574 people killed and 5,687 others wounded since the agreement came into place on October 11, 2025, according to the enclave’s Ministry of Health.”
- SupportedOHCHR said it received reports that an Israeli drone dropped munitions on Sunday on a tent housing displaced Palestinians.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The OHCHR also said that it received reports that an Israeli drone dropped munitions on a tent housing displaced Palestinians at the Shujayea junction on Sunday.”
- SupportedThe Palestinian Ministry of Public Works and Housing said the resulting fire displaced 200 families, comprising 800 people.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The Palestinian Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Gaza said the resulting fire displaced 200 families comprising 800 people.”
- SupportedAjith Sunghay called the displacement a “nightmare” that was “acute and chronic.”Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Ajith Sunghay, head of the OHCHR in occupied Palestine, said the “nightmare of displacement” in Gaza was both “acute and chronic”.”
- SupportedSince the war began in October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed at least 74,570 people and wounded 175,808, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Since the genocidal war began in October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed at least 74,570 people and wounded 175,808 others.”