BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 9 (UPI) -- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has warned that Israel's plan to expand its military offensive against Hamas, annex territory in Gaza and forcibly displace its population would cause further mass displacement and jeopardize the Palestinians' continued existence in the Strip.
Türk said in a U.N. statement released Friday that Israel's reported plans to forcibly transfer Gaza's population to a small area in the south of the strip and threats by Israeli officials to deport Palestinians outside of Gaza "further aggravate concerns that Israel's actions are aimed at inflicting on Palestinians conditions of life increasingly incompatible with their continued existence in Gaza as a group."
He said expanding the offensive on Gaza will "almost certainly" cause further mass displacement, more deaths and injuries of innocent civilians and the destruction of Gaza's little remaining infrastructure.
Israel's new plan, he added, "would only compound the misery and suffering inflicted by the complete blockade on the entry of basic goods for almost nine weeks now."
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The U.N.'s top human rights chief warned that "any use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of war constitutes a war crime," noting that Gaza's residents have already been deprived of all "lifesaving necessities," particularly food, with Israel's relentless attacks.
On Monday, the Israeli security cabinet approved a new plan to increase military operations in Gaza and to establish a permanent presence until all war objectives are achieved, including destroying Hamas and rescuing its remaining hostages.
The plan also includes the displacement of Gaza's 2.1 million population to the south of the enclave.
According to Israeli media reports, the goal is to strengthen Israel's position in negotiations with Hamas over a potential ceasefire and hostage release agreement.
"There is no reason to believe that doubling down on military strategies, which, for a year and eight months, have not led to a durable resolution, including the release of all hostages, will now succeed," Türk said.
He called for full compliance with international law as "the only lasting solution to this crisis."
