UN warns against Israeli occupation plans to forcibly displace Gazans

GENEVA, May 7 (KUNA) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Wednesday expressed deep alarm over Israeli occupation's reported plans to forcibly transfer Gaza's population to a small area in the south of the Strip as well as threats by Israeli officials to deport Palestinians outside of Gaza.
In a statement, Turk warned that these developments heighten concerns that Israel's actions are aimed at creating conditions of life for Palestinians in Gaza that are increasingly incompatible with their continued existence as a group.
"There is no reason to believe that doubling down on military strategies, which for a year and eight months have failed to achieve a durable resolution including the release of all hostages, will now succeed," he said.
"On the contrary expanding the offensive on Gaza will almost certainly lead to further mass displacement more deaths and injuries of innocent civilians and the destruction of what little infrastructure remains," he added.
Turk also emphasized that such actions would only worsen the already dire humanitarian situation. For nearly nine weeks Gaza's population has suffered under a complete blockade preventing the entry of essential goods especially food. (end) amk.aa