The UN Human Rights office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is horrified by the ongoing killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in Gaza since the resumption of large-scale Israeli bombardment on 18 March. As of 20 March, at least 506 Palestinians were killed, including 200 children and at least 112 women according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Airstrikes and artillery shelling have struck homes, schools serving as shelters, and tents of internally displaced people — a pattern extensively documented by the UN Human Rights Office since October of 2023. The Israeli military appear to have resumed the practice of using explosive weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated areas. Across Gaza, since 18 March, the UN Human Rights office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory recorded at least three incidents where more than twenty fatalities were reported, and at least eight incidents with more than ten fatalities. Using explosive weapons with wide- area effects in such densely populated areas will almost certainly have indiscriminate effects and is very likely to be in violation of international humanitarian law rules on the conduct of hostilities.

Conducting hostilities using such means and methods in densely populated areas causes civilian casualties at a mass scale and is not consistent with Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law, including abiding by the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack.

On 20 March, Hamas’s military wing, Al Qassam Brigades, announced firing rockets on Tel Aviv. No casualties were reported. The targeting of civilians or launching of indiscriminate attacks amounts to a war crime.

Israel is again issuing forced displacement orders across Gaza and imposing severe movement restrictions. On 19 March, the Israeli military announced redeployment in Netzarim corridor which separates the north of Gaza from the south and prohibited Palestinians from moving through Salah Ad Deen road. The Israeli military ordered all Palestinians residing in areas located in the vicinity of the fence, described as “dangerous combat zones”, to leave to “known shelters” in western Gaza City and Khan Yunis.

The return of heavy bombardment and mass displacement orders indicates a resurgence of the pattern which has already forced 90 per cent of Palestinians in Gaza into displacement before the ceasefire, often more than once. The devastating impact of mass forced displacement will likely be exacerbated by Israel’s blocking of humanitarian aid, the already catastrophic shelter crisis in Gaza, and the lack of access to life- saving services.

Statements by the Israeli government further heighten fears about the deliberate flouting international law prohibitions and further collective punishment.

On the evening of 19 March, a statement by the Israeli Minister of Defence addressed to “residents of Gaza” threatened “significantly worse” strikes if hostages are not released and if Hamas is not expelled from Gaza, stressing that Gaza residents “will pay the price”. The statement referred to the “option” of “relocating to other parts of the world” if Palestinians “wish” to do so after the demands he outlined are met.

“The alternative”, the statement continued, “is utter destruction and devastation.”

Other statements by Israeli officials explicitly said that one of the goals of the renewed bombardment aims to “damage Hamas’s governmental capabilities” through targeting mid-level and senior-ranking members in Hamas’s Political Bureau, including officials in the civilian de-facto authorities— who, under international law, are civilians entitled to protection except if, and for such time, they directly participate in hostilities. Some civilian officials were reportedly killed with their entire families and children, including Ahmed Al Hatta, Undersecretary for the Ministry of Justice, who was killed with his wife and six children.

Violations by one party to the conflict never justify violations by the other. The targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure across Gaza and any measures constituting forcible transfer of the civilian population or collective punishment are violations of international law and are war crimes.

The heightened Israeli siege since 2 March, which has prevented basic necessities from reaching civilians amounts to collective punishment. We recall that in its March 2024 binding order, the International Court of Justice unanimously ordered Israel to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure the unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians throughout Gaza, to conform with its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Israel is legally bound to immediately end and punish breaches of international law, and as the occupying power, to protect Palestinian civilians from violence, ensure the provision of all necessities of life, and ensure they can return to their homes in safety and dignity.

We repeat our call on member states to take decisive action to end hostilities in Gaza and ensure accountability for the grave breaches of international law committed over the past year and a half. 

Remarks to the press- as delivered

Before speaking to you today about our latest report on the occupied West Bank, I would like to start with the tragic developments overnight in Gaza, where we are hearing reports of hundreds being killed, many of them civilians, in a wave of Israeli strikes.

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, 326 Palestinians were killed, including many women and children. The Israeli military had already killed at least 106 Palestinians since the ceasefire started in January up to last night, mostly in and around “no-go” zones along the edges of Gaza.

The Israeli military reportedly hit residential buildings, schools and IDP camps - a trend that has been documented extensively by our Office since October 2023. We are again seeing the scenes of mutilated bodies of children, and bodies wrapped in shrouds. The Israeli military also issued a displacement order from several parts of Gaza- indicating a return to a pattern which led to the forced displacement of 90 per cent of the Palestinian population in Gaza, often several times. It is unacceptable, even unimaginable, to once again find ourselves talking about this instead of supporting a path towards meaningful recovery and sustainable peace.

The situation is compounded by the blockade on Gaza. For over two weeks now, Israel has closed all crossings and prevented the entry of humanitarian aid, fuel, and all other supplies. We are also concerned about reported plans to cut off the little that remains of the water supply. With no fuel, no electricity, and no aid, how can bakeries, water desalination plants, and other critical infrastructure operate? How long before all food runs out and we’re again facing hunger and starvation?

We once again remind Israel of its obligation to comply with international humanitarian law’s fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack. Any targeting of civilians not directly participating in hostilities is a war crime and must stop, immediately; the blockade of Gaza amounts to collective punishment and must stop, immediately; and the use of starvation as a weapon of war is a crime under international law.

Simply, this violence, and the killing must stop immediately. The hostages must be released. Those arbitrarily detained must also be freed.

Now to the report we are putting before you today, which points to another deeply concerning trajectory taking place in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Israel is taking serious and accelerated steps to annex more and more parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory in violation of international law.

In the West Bank, settlements are expanding at an alarming rate. This is coinciding with a series of legislative and policy steps that are increasingly allowing for land appropriation from Palestinians and further facilitating the extension of Israeli sovereignty and laws over the West Bank.

The rampant forcible displacement of Palestinians from their homes and lands in the West Bank further exacerbates the situation. We are witnessing a violent and ever-expanding Israeli operation that started last January in the northern parts of the West Bank, particularly Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas. This operation has so far killed 59 Palestinians, displaced tens of thousands, and emptied entire refugee camps.

Displacement is further fueled by continuously increasing home demolitions and evictions, settler violence that can no longer be separated from state violence, and daily appropriation of Palestinian land on alleged “security grounds” only to be later allocated to serve settlers.

We have a clear legal pathway to follow here, confirmed last year by the International Court of Justice. The occupation of the Palestinian territory must end as rapidly as possible, all Israeli settlers must be evacuated, and all settlement of this territory must cease immediately. The international community has a strong mandate to take meaningful action to prevent annexation and ensure Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Member States must act now.

Across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Palestinian people continue to increasingly grapple with Israel’s complete disregard of its obligations under international law to protect Palestinians and their chances of building a future that fulfills their rights to a dignified life and to self-determination.

Precarious situation in Gaza:

In Gaza, since the ceasefire agreement entered into effect on 19 January, Israeli military reportedly killed 58 Palestinians including ten children and three women, mostly in the vicinity of the Israeli imposed “nogo” zones including the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors, as well as eastern Rafah, Khan Younis, and Beit Hanun. Many of those killed were reportedly attempting to check on their homes. Targeting Palestinians who are not actively participating in hostilities is a war crime regardless of the Israeli-imposed movement restrictions.

For the fifth consecutive day, Israel has blocked humanitarian aid as well as all other goods and supplies, including fuel, from entering Gaza, causing prices to soar and anxiety to spread over the possible return to bombardment and starvation. This is coinciding with the start of the Holy month of Ramadan, further heightening the stress of Palestinian families, most of whom remain displaced. Lack of adequate shelter, warm clothing and healthcare services led to the death of at least eight babies in the past two weeks from the cold, three of whom were reportedly newborns.

As the occupying power, Israel has a legal obligation to ensure the provision of the necessities of life for Palestinians living under its control. This includes food, clean water, shelter, and adequate healthcare. Any denial of the entry of the necessities of life for civilians may amount to collective punishment. The use of hunger and starvation as a weapon of war is a war crime.

Additionally, efforts to remove tons of rubble and waste are greatly hampered by the lack of the required heavy equipment and fuel. Palestinian families and civil defence workers continue to extract bodies from under the rubble — at least 808 bodies recovered since the ceasefire started.

Large-scale West Bank operation continues:

In the West Bank, an Israeli security operation continues to ravage northern communities, killed dozens, forcibly displaced about 40,000 Palestinians, emptying entire refugee camps. The Israeli Minister of Defense told media that Israeli security forces will remain in parts of the emptied territory for a year and will prevent residents from returning. The operation started on 21 January and preliminarily targeted Jenin, then extended to include Tubas and Tulkarem governorates. So far, Israeli security forces have killed 54 Palestinians in the course of this operation, including eight children, and two women. Outside these governorates, during the past two weeks, Israeli security forces killed five other Palestinians including a 12-year-old boy shot in the back in Hebron.

The killings increasingly demonstrate an alarming disregard for Palestinian lives with high prevalence of unlawful killings. As there are no hostilities in the West Bank, the international human rights law standards on the use of force in law enforcement operations apply. Instead, Israel now routinely resorts to using tactics and weapons developed for war fighting, including the deployment of airstrikes and tanks.

Alarming incidents reported over recent weeks include Israeli security forces opening fire at a house in Jenin, killing a two-day old baby girl inside; shooting and killing an eight-month pregnant woman trying to flee Nur Shams refugee camp in which an operation by the Israeli security forces was ongoing; the killing of a 13-year-old girl in the courtyard of her house also in Jenin; and the killing of a ten-year old boy while standing in front of a building in Tulkarem.

Since January, three members of Israeli security forces were killed by Palestinian armed men in the West Bank or inside Israel. A 17-year-old Israeli girl succumbed to injuries sustained when a Palestinian man rammed a car into a crowd of Israelis in north Israel last week. The attacker was subsequently shot and killed.

Coinciding with the operation, restrictions of movement have also dramatically increased, strangling communities and preventing thousands of students and workers in northern areas from reaching their schools and workplaces.

According to Israeli media, Israeli security forces are planning to limit the number of worshippers from the West Bank allowed to access Al Aqsa Compound in East Jerusalem for Friday prayers during Ramadan to only 10,000. This is a significant drop from the tens of thousands who gathered for Friday prayers in Al Aqsa Mosque in previous years. Ahead of the first Ramadan Friday prayer tomorrow, Israeli media is reporting movement restrictions around East Jerusalem, including the deployment of thousands of security officers and the closing of key roads, which is likely to have a severe impact on freedom of movement.

Steps to consolidate annexation and forced transfer:

Of particular concern is the mass forced displacement in large swaths of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In Gaza, Israeli forces’ continued presence, and the constant killing of Palestinians around the Israelidesignated no-go zones is effectively preventing Palestinian residents from returning to their homes in these areas.

In the newly emptied parts of the West Bank, houses are being reportedly destroyed. At least 120 buildings in Jenin and 41 in Tulkarem have been demolished so far, apparently to make space for the creation of wide streets that would allow easier passage to military forces. Israeli security forces also announced that they will imminently demolish 16 houses in Nur Shams refugee camp. Signs are being erected that give freshly bulldozed streets and junctions Hebrew names in Jenin and Tulkarem.

In parallel, increasing numbers of Palestinian herding and farming communities are being displaced from Area C and other fertile areas of the West Bank, forced to leave by state and settler violence, restricted access to land and pastures, and discriminatory policies.

These steps are being taken against a backdrop of a barrage of statements from Israeli officials and lawmakers promoting further consolidation, under Israeli law, of the annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Statements also call for the forcible transfer and deportation of Palestinians in Gaza.

Earlier this week, the Ministerial Committee at the Israeli Knesset preliminarily approved a bill to extend Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration to settlements around Jerusalem, which would further cement annexation. This threatens to further fragment the Occupied West Bank, further isolate the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, and complicate any future efforts to fulfil Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Israeli media quoted lawmakers who explained the bill is a significant step towards extending Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.

Measures to forcibly displace Palestinians and consolidate the annexation of their land fly in the face of Israel’s obligations under international law, including its duty to end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to immediately evacuate all settlements as affirmed by the International Court of Justice. These measures must stop and be reversed, and Palestinians across the occupied territory must be allowed to return to their homes in safety and in dignity.

Accountability must be prioritised for violations committed by all duty bearers, including Israel, Palestinian armed groups, and the Palestinian Authority as an essential step towards a just and sustainable peace.

The UN Human Rights Office condemns the intensifying Israeli operation in the northern West Bank and calls for the immediate halt to this alarming wave of violence and mass displacement.

Unlawful killings

Israeli security forces have so far killed 44 Palestinians, many of them unarmed and not posing an imminent threat to life or of serious injury, since the start of the operation on 21 January which has affected Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas governorates, and four refugee camps in these areas. Among those killed are five children and two women. One of the women killed, 23-year-old Sundus Shalabi, was fleeing Nour Shams refugee camp with her husband on 9 February when Israeli security forces shot at their car, critically injuring her husband. When she left the car in search of safety, she was shot and killed with her unborn child. According to Israeli media reports, an investigation by the Israeli military preliminarily confirmed that Sundus and her husband, Yazan, were unarmed and posed no threat to life. 
In Tulkarem city, a 10-year-boy, Saddam Hussein Rajab, was shot in the chest by Israeli security forces and succumbed to his injuries on 7 February. Circulating video evidence showed the moment he was shot while simply standing in front of a building.

This is part of an expanding pattern of Israel’s unlawful use of force in the West Bank where there are no active hostilities, and a continuously increasing number of apparently unlawful killings documented by the UN Human Rights Office.

Mass displacement

The operation is also raising concerns about levels of mass displacement unprecedented in the Occupied West Bank for decades. According to UNRWA, the Israeli operation has so far displaced nearly 40,000 Palestinians.

The UN Human Rights Office received daily reports from displaced residents describing a pattern where they are led out of their homes by Israeli security forces and drones under the threat of violence. They are then forced out of their towns with snipers positioned on rooftops around them and houses in their neighbourhoods used as posts by Israeli security forces.

Aseel, a 29-year-old mother of three, has been displaced three times so far. First from her home in Jenin by Palestinian security forces last December when they were engaged in an operation in Jenin, then by Israeli security forces when she attempted to return in January. Her house was burnt down shortly afterwards according to photos shared by some of her neighbours. After fleeing to Tulkarem to stay with her family, Israeli security forces again forced her out end of January when the ongoing Israeli operation extended from Jenin to neighbouring refugee camps.

Another young woman said that she fled her home in Tulkarem in panic—barefoot and carrying her one-and four-year-old children—when she heard Israeli security forces threatening via loudspeakers on jeeps and drones that anyone who did not immediately leave would be shot. She pleaded with officers to go back inside for her youngest’s heart medications or to at least put on shoes.

“Leave this place and forget the camp. You will never return. Move now before we destroy it completely,” was the answer she reported in her testimony.

Other eyewitness testimonies also recounted similar statements by Israeli security force members who reportedly told displaced residents to “forget” and “say goodbye” to their homes, stressing they would not be allowed to return. One resident reported being told to “go to Jordan.”

Photos received from Jenin refugee camp on Thursday show freshly bulldozed roads with new signs apparently giving several streets Hebrew names. This is happening while statements by Israeli officials persist in communicating open plans to annex the region, empty it of Palestinians, and expel them out of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

In this regard, we reiterate that any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited and amounts to a crime under international law.

Legal obligations

Displaced Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes. The killing of each and every Palestinian must be promptly, effectively, and transparently investigated, and perpetrators of unlawful killings must be held to account. Military commanders and other superiors may be held responsible for the crimes committed by their subordinates if they fail to take all necessary and reasonable measures to prevent or punish unlawful killings.

Furthermore, Israel must comply with its other obligations under international law, which include ending its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible and evacuating all West Bank settlements immediately. In the meantime, as the occupying power, Israel must ensure the protection of Palestinians, the provision of basic services and needs, and the respect of Palestinians’ full range of human rights.

As hundreds of thousands of Palestinians move back to northern Gaza, violence and displacement continue to afflict both Gaza and the West Bank, raising more concerns about violations of international law and renewing calls for an immediate end to all violence and accountability.

On the move in Gaza

With the return of possibly hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to northern Gaza, the UN Human Rights Office reaffirms the rights of Palestinians to safety, protection, and dignity on their way back to what is left of their homes.

The journey is difficult, with many unable to afford transportation and forced to walk long distances with unreliable telecommunication networks and no available toilets. This is particularly hard for the most vulnerable groups and the families who support them, including children, pregnant women, older people, and people with disabilities forced to make the journey without adequate assistance. Reports raise concern about an increasing number of children being separated from their families while on the move.

As the occupying power, Israel has the obligation to ensure the provision of shelter, food and medical care and to restore and maintain public order and normal civil life for the Palestinian people. Israel is also prohibited from subjecting Palestinians to deportation outside the Occupied Palestinian Territory or forcible transfer within it.

Killings continue around “buffer zones”

The continued killings of Palestinians since the beginning of the ceasefire in and around vaguely defined and poorly communicated “buffer zones” in Gaza, particularly in the vicinity of the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors and along the eastern barrier fence, is cause for alarm.

As of 27 January, the Israeli military reportedly killed at least 14 Palestinians, including 2 boys and 1 girl, mostly around these so-called “buffer zones” since the onset of the ceasefire on 19 January. Among those killed are two Palestinian brothers, including a boy, who were killed while reportedly checking their home in Rafah outside of such a zone.

The Israeli military remains bound by international humanitarian law’s principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions, as well as the relevant human rights rules on use of force applicable to law enforcement. As a matter of urgency, it must take immediate steps to ensure its rules of engagement prevent further unlawful civilian deaths.

Growing violence in the West Bank

Accountability and adherence to international law are also urgently needed in the West Bank, where a large-scale operation is unfolding with devastating consequences for Palestinians, both in terms of violence and displacement. Since 19 January, Israeli security forces killed 20 Palestinians including a 16-year-old boy in East Jerusalem on Monday.

Deadly operation in Jenin

An Israeli operation has continued in Jenin since 21 January with deadly consequences and was extended this week to Tulkarem. Israeli security forces have so far killed at least 18 Palestinians in this operation, most of whom are reportedly unarmed.

This includes a two-year-old girl who was shot dead in her home by Israeli security forces on Saturday.

After weeks of siege and use of force by both the Israeli and Palestinian security forces, 3,000 families from the Jenin Refugee Camp have been forced to flee – about 80 percent of total Camp residents. The remaining families are living in grave danger with no access to water, electricity, and other basic services.

Videos circulating on the internet and reported by the media show evidence of Israeli security forces targeting Palestinians clearly posing no threat to life or limb. The use of tactics and weapons developed for war such as airstrikes in the West Bank where there are no active hostilities violates the international human rights law standards applicable to law enforcement.

On Monday afternoon, the Israeli military expanded its operations to Tulkarem and its two refugee camps, where further destruction of roads and infrastructure is reportedly ongoing. According to information gathered by the UN Human Rights Office, several Palestinian families were already forced to leave their homes by the Israeli military for the duration of the operation, despite the fact they have nowhere to go in the middle of the winter.

Raids and movement restrictions continue

In addition, Israeli security forces in recent days have continued their routine raids of Palestinian communities across the West Bank including in Hebron, Nablus, and Bethlehem. Houses of Palestinian prisoners released as part of the ceasefire deal were also raided to prevent any “display of joy.”

Suffocating restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement across the West Bank persisted for the tenth consecutive day today, practically tearing communities apart and largely paralysing daily life.

Human rights central to the way forward

The continued implementation of the ceasefire deal in Gaza provides hope that an end to the horrors of the past 15 months is in sight. Israel and Palestinian armed groups must do everything in their power to make sure the ceasefire is sustainable so that the massive protection and humanitarian needs of the civilian population in Gaza can be addressed, and the process of a human rights-based recovery and reconstruction can commence.

A vital prerequisite for this goal is to ensure strict adherence to international law in this critical time. The international community must also prioritize accountability for the crimes under international law committed over the past 15 months to facilitate redress and justice for victims. To prevent recurrence, it is essential that the root causes of the conflict are addressed based on international law, in particular human rights. This includes ending Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and ensuring accountability as the basis of just and lasting peace that fulfills the rights of Palestinians and Israelis. 

Violence and restrictions in the Occupied West Bank coinciding with ceasefire implementation The UN Human Rights Office is alarmed by a wave of renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli security forces in the Occupied West Bank, coinciding with the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages and detainees. This has been accompanied by increased restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement across the West Bank, including complete closure of some checkpoints and installation of new gates, effectively confining entire communities. 

Public statements by Israeli officials warning against celebrations by Palestinian families whose detained loved ones are being released coincided with calls by settlers for gatherings and attacks at locations where detainees are returning. Settler attacks followed, on 19 January, in several towns including Sinjil, Turmus’ayya, and Qalqilya, where scores of settlers torched Palestinians’ houses and vehicles, blocked roads, and threw stones. Six Palestinians were injured in Sinjil, including three children, aged between 14 and 16. 

Also yesterday, Israeli security forces raided several Palestinian towns in the West Bank. In Sebastia, Nablus, Israeli security forces shot in the chest and killed a 14-year-old Palestinian boy, reportedly unarmed, in the absence of confrontations or clashes. Public statements by Israeli military officials also raise concern about Israel’s plans to expand and increase operations in the Occupied West Bank. 

Israeli security forces also closed a number of checkpoints in Jericho, set up flying checkpoints in Tulkarm, and further increased searches and controls at checkpoints around Nablus and Tulkarm governorates. They additionally shutdown all entrances to Hebron, which has effectively cut off thousands of Palestinians from neighboring communities and largely prevented children from attending schools, and residents from reaching work. Thirteen new iron gates were reportedly installed at entrances of towns across the Occupied West Bank. 

Palestinian security forces detained several Palestinians, including journalists, covering the release of Palestinian detainees. 

While the ceasefire takes hold in Gaza, it is important to stress again that international law binds duty-bearers in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Israel has the obligation to dismantle settlements and evacuate all settlers from the Occupied West Bank and end its unlawful presence across the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible. In the meantime, Israel has an obligation as the occupying power to ensure the protection of Palestinians from all acts of violence. 

Furthermore, Israeli and Palestinian security forces must ensure Palestinians’ ability to exercise the full range of their human rights, including freedoms of expression, assembly and movement. They must also ensure their conduct complies with international human rights law, including strict adherence to the rules on the use of force applicable to law enforcement operations. This includes immediately putting an end to the growing practice of unlawful killings of Palestinians both through targeted killings and unnecessary or disproportionate use of force, and conducting thorough, effective and transparent investigations into all possible violations to hold perpetrators accountable.