Gaza ‘safe zones’ led to displacement, Israeli attacks on civilians: Report
Al JazeeraResearch group finds Israel’s dishonest use of ‘humanitarian protective measures’ resulted in killing of more Palestinians. A report published by the research group Forensic Architecture has called into question Israel’s argument at the International Court of Justice that it had introduced measures to safeguard civilian life in Gaza. But according to the study, Israel’s “evacuation orders” have “produced mass displacement and forced transfer, and contributed to the killings of civilians throughout Gaza”. The damage inflicted upon the population has been exacerbated by what the report called the “unparallelled and catastrophic levels of infrastructural destruction and agricultural damage, and the systematic targeting of vital civilian structures, including hospitals, schools, religious and cultural heritage sites, bakeries, and homes.” Rather than serve as humanitarian measures intended to protect life, the study alleged that Israel’s evacuation orders have facilitated “displacement, fatalities, and genocidal acts” against Palestinians in Gaza. Forensic Architecture said that information provided by Israel to Palestinians in Gaza, ostensibly to provide them with access to safe zones, has been confusing, “resulting in cases of targeting and military bombardment of routes and zones designated as ‘safe’ by the Israeli military”.