Amnesty calls on Israel to 'immediately abandon' plans to annex Gaza

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Amnesty International on Wednesday called on Israel to immediately abandon any plans to annex the Gaza Strip or forcibly transfer the Palestinian population.

"After imposing two months of full siege on Gaza, Israel’s declared intentions to expand its already devastating military offensive, further entrench its unlawful occupation of the Gaza Strip," Erika Guevara Rosas, a senior official at Amnesty International, said in a statement.

The group warned that such moves would represent grave violations of international law.

On Sunday, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved a plan to expand its war on Gaza and occupy more territory inside the Palestinian enclave, raising fears of a full occupation of the enclave.

"Any move by Israel to displace Palestinians to the south of the Gaza Strip and confine them into so-called ‘closed bubbles,’ or continue to impose inhumane conditions of life to push Palestinians out of Gaza, would amount to the war crime of unlawful transfer or deportation," said Amnesty.

It added that if such actions are carried out as part of a widespread or systematic attack against civilians, they would constitute crimes against humanity.

"These plans demonstrate Israel’s utter disregard for international law and its contempt for the rights of Palestinians," said Rosas.

She added that any attempt to weaponize humanitarian aid, use it to coerce forced displacement, or create discriminatory aid zones would also violate international law and must be rejected.

Calling the Israeli plans “dangerous,” Rosas urged the international community to “unequivocally reject” such measures and pressure Israel to fulfill its legal obligations and ensure full humanitarian access to Gaza.

Nearly 2.4 million people in Gaza are completely dependent on humanitarian aid, according to World Bank data.

Since March 2, Israel has kept Gaza’s crossings closed to food, medical and humanitarian aid, deepening an already humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

More than 52,600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its offensive in October 2023, the majority of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.