The Israeli military has distanced itself from the brigadier general’s comments that ground forces are close to a “complete withdrawal” from the northern Gaza Strip and residents will not be allowed to return.
At a press conference on Tuesday night, Israel Defense Forces Brigadier General Itzik Cohen told Israeli reporters: “We are not going to allow residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return.” He added that humanitarian supplies would be allowed to enter the southern part of the territory “regularly” but that “there are no more civilians left” in the north.
Experts in international humanitarian law say the acts amount to war crimes of forced displacement and weaponizing food.
The IDF did not immediately respond to the Guardian’s request for comment on Cohen’s remarks. But on Thursday, a spokesperson said the comment was taken out of context during a discussion about Jabaliya and did not “reflect the IDF’s objectives and values.”
The spokesperson said Tuesday’s press conference was held behind the scenes and the brigadier general’s name should not have been quoted in Hebrew media reports.
The statement said the IDF is allowing aid to flow into northern Gaza, including Jabaliya. Residents say no aid has arrived in Jabaliya, Beit Rahiya and Beit Hanoun since the new attacks and increased siege began on October 5.
Israel has repeatedly denied trying to evacuate the remaining residents of northern Gaza to the relative safety of the south during the offensive, which is now in its second month. Israel insists the push is necessary to combat reorganized Hamas cells.
Despite denials from human rights groups and aid agencies, Israel appears to be implementing a version of the so-called “General Plan,” giving civilians a deadline to leave and then treating those who remain as combatants. He claims to be proposing it.
It is unclear how many people remain in northern Gaza. The United Nations estimated last month that there are about 400,000 civilians unable or unwilling to comply with Israel’s evacuation orders. Social media footage this week showed waves of displaced people carrying children and backpacks walking south across a flat area of Gaza City.
Palestinian medical officials said on Thursday that Israeli attacks had killed 10 people in the past 24 hours in northern Gaza and seven in Rafah, near the border with Egypt. The Israeli military said it had killed about 50 militants in the past 24 hours.
Earlier this year, Israel cut the Palestinian territory in half by constructing what is known as the Netzarim Corridor, separating once-densely populated Gaza City from the rest of the region.
Although permanent reoccupation of Gaza is not official Israeli policy, senior Israeli defense officials recently told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the government aims to annex large parts of the Gaza Strip.
