World · World News Bureau
UN condemns Israeli threat of Gaza mass expulsions over kite incidents
The United Nations rights office has strongly rejected Israeli threats to forcibly evacuate Palestinian residents from Gaza communities, citing concerns over kite-flying activities. The statement marks fresh tensions over Israeli enforcement measures in the occupied territory.
LSN World News ·
A spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned threatened mass expulsions from Gaza settlements, characterizing the Israeli position as disproportionate and potentially unlawful under international humanitarian law.
The Israeli military had threatened forced evacuations from Gaza communities, citing incidents involving kites that were used to carry incendiary devices toward Israeli territory. Residents of the affected areas have relied on such tactics as a form of protest against the blockade.
The UN rights office argued that collective punishment of civilian populations violates established international law protections. Officials emphasized that any enforcement actions must target individuals responsible for specific incidents rather than entire communities.
The dispute underscores the broader tensions between Israeli security measures and Palestinian civilian rights in Gaza. Kite-flying incidents have repeatedly escalated tensions along the Israel-Gaza border, with such activities causing fires in adjacent Israeli communities while drawing Israeli military responses.