UN Human Rights in Occupied Palestinian Territory: Israeli plan to take full control of Gaza city will lead to further killings and displacement

20 August 2025

Israel’s reported decision to take full control of Gaza City and to forcibly displace its population will lead to mass killings of civilians and destruction of infrastructure vital to the survival of the population. We are already seeing a repetition of the use of methods and means of warfare that led to mass killings, serious injuries, forced displacement, arbitrary detention, starvation and extensive destruction in previous military operations in North Gaza and Rafah.

Over the past few days, the Israeli military escalated its attacks on several locations in eastern and southern Gaza City, particularly in Az Zaytoun neighbourhood, where continuous and intense airstrikes, artillery shelling, and gunfire resulted in a high number of civilian casualties and large-scale destruction of residential buildings and public facilities. Hundreds of families have been forced to flee, including many children, people with disabilities, and older people, with nowhere safe to go, amid dire humanitarian conditions, while others reportedly remain trapped, completely cut off from food, water and medicine supplies.

Since 8 August 2025, we have recorded 54 attacks on residential buildings and entire blocks in Gaza City, reportedly killing at least 87 Palestinians, including at least 25 children, 24 men and 12 women. Entire families were killed together in these attacks. We have also recorded attacks on shelters of internally displaced people, including tents and schools, resulting in the killing of at least 14 Palestinians. These figures represent only a portion of the true toll due to underreporting in such dire circumstances. They indicate that the systematic destruction of Gaza City is already underway.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military keeps calling on Palestinians to move to Al Mawasi, west of Khan Younis, where it has repeatedly struck tents of the displaced. The area is overcrowded with displaced people struggling to survive, with barely any access to food, water, and other essential necessities. Families are already exhausted and traumatised by repeated displacements.

As the occupying power, Israel must not destroy civilian property unless such destruction is rendered necessary by military operations. The widespread destruction of residential buildings in eastern and southern Gaza City does not appear to be required by imperative military necessity nor rendered absolutely necessary by military operations. The mass displacements do not meet the strict requirements of international humanitarian law that allow evacuation of civilians only in very particular circumstances and under strict conditions. Forcing the displacement of the entire population of Gaza City along with those remaining in North Gaza, with no provision from Israel for their shelter, food or essential medical care, and with indications that they will not be allowed to return to their homes raises serious concerns of grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Considering the imminent risk of the further commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law, States parties to the Geneva Conventions are under an urgent obligation to exert maximum pressure on Israel to immediately halt this offensive, which risks triggering an unprecedented, life-threatening humanitarian crisis and permanently extinguishing the Palestinian presence in Gaza’s largest urban area.