Israel emptying West Bank refugee camps could be crime against humanity: UN

The United Nations warned on Friday that Israel's forced displacement of all Palestinians from three West Bank refugee camps last year could constitute crimes against humanity. In a report criticized by Israel, the UN rights office detailed how a military operation, codenamed "Iron Wall," began in January 2025 with Israeli forces entering the camps, killing civilians, destroying homes, and cutting off essential services like water and electricity.

Residents were then ordered to evacuate their homes. The UN noted that by July 2025, 33,362 displaced Palestinians had not been allowed to return to their homes. The report called the use of airstrikes, armored bulldozers, and controlled detonations to render camps uninhabitable "not permissible under international law." The UN rights chief, Volker Turk, stated that the operation's conduct suggests its purpose was to expel as many Palestinians as possible and pave the way for new illegal Israeli settlements, further violating international law.

Israel's mission in Geneva dismissed the UN's findings, accusing the office of abandoning impartiality and independence, and accused the report of spreading misinformation and ignoring the threat of terrorist attacks.