Mass Ethnic Cleansing Risk: UN Warns of Israeli Actions in Palestine

In just 16 months, Israeli military operations have resulted in the deaths of at least 48,570 Palestinians in Gaza, while displacing 1.9 million others.

The United Nations has issued a dire warning that Palestinians face a grave risk of mass ethnic cleansing as Israel escalates its long-standing strategy to seize Palestinian land and expel its native population. Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, has condemned Israel's ongoing operations, calling them a clear continuation of the forced displacement seen in 1947-1949 during the Nakba and again in 1967 with the Naksa.

Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza

In just 16 months, Israeli military operations have resulted in the deaths of at least 48,570 Palestinians in Gaza, while displacing 1.9 million others. Entire neighborhoods have been obliterated by relentless bombardments, making any prospect of return impossible. The infrastructure necessary for civilian life—including hospitals, schools, and water systems—has been largely decimated. Western governments have floated the idea of permanently relocating surviving Palestinians outside Gaza, a proposal Albanese has rejected as both illegal and deeply unethical.

"This idea is unlawful and adds insult to injury," she said. "No people should be forcibly removed from their homeland under the guise of humanitarian aid."

Escalating Violence in the West Bank

Beyond Gaza, Israeli forces and settler militias have dramatically intensified their campaign against Palestinians in the West Bank. Since January 2025 alone, more than 40,000 refugees from Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams have been forcibly displaced, with nearly 70 killed. Palestinian homes, farmland, and essential infrastructure have been systematically destroyed through airstrikes, controlled demolitions, and the use of armored bulldozers in military raids. Albanese has characterized these assaults as the most aggressive military operations in the West Bank since the Second Intifada.

"We are witnessing new ‘Trails of Tears’ in the West Bank, mirroring Gaza’s fate. In 2025, such injustice is not only unacceptable but a stain on our collective conscience," she declared.

Military Reinforcements and Forced Displacement

As of February 23, Israel’s Minister of Defense authorized significant military reinforcements across the West Bank, including the prevention of 40,000 displaced Palestinians from returning to northern areas. Between January 2023 and January 2025, more than 2,275 Palestinians—among them 1,117 children—have been forcibly expelled from their homes due to settler-led violence backed by the Israeli military. The pattern of displacement echoes historical Israeli strategies of territorial expansion, where mass expulsions have been used to clear Palestinian land for Israeli settlements.

A Systematic Campaign of Ethnic Cleansing

According to Albanese, Israel’s conduct is part of a broader strategy to eliminate Palestinian presence between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

“Israel’s actions amount to a genocidal campaign designed to erase Palestinians as a people,” she warned. “Destroying Palestinian lives, homes, and infrastructure while denying them the right to return is a calculated effort to establish a ‘Greater Israel’ free of its native inhabitants.”

International Law and Accountability

The Special Rapporteur has called on the international community to take decisive action, emphasizing that Israel’s actions violate multiple international laws, including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Genocide Convention. She stressed that the only way to protect Palestinians from further atrocities is for the global community to enforce the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion, which ruled Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful and mandated its immediate end.

Additionally, Albanese pointed out that both Israel’s Prime Minister and former Minister of Defense are currently wanted by the ICC, urging all nations to support arrest warrants against them. She called for targeted sanctions, the suspension of all arms sales to Israel, and a complete ban on trade agreements that could contribute to the oppression of Palestinians.

“Palestine is a wound that continues to bleed,” she said. “The world must stand on the right side of history and take meaningful steps to hold Israel accountable for its crimes.”

The Responsibility of the International Community

Despite overwhelming evidence of war crimes, many global powers remain hesitant to take action, fearing political repercussions or prioritizing their alliances with Israel. However, Albanese argued that history will judge the inaction of world leaders who fail to stop what she called a "tragedy foretold."

“The international community must uphold its obligation to prevent genocide and mass displacement,” she emphasized. “It is never too late to act, but every day of silence and inaction brings more suffering to innocent civilians.”

As Palestinian displacement and destruction continue at an unprecedented scale, human rights organizations and legal experts stress that accountability measures are critical. The coming months may determine whether the world chooses to intervene—or if it will, once again, look away as history repeats itself.