Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity by deliberately causing the mass displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) says.
About 1.9 million people - 90% of Gaza’s population - have fled their homes over the past year, and 79% of the territory is under Israeli-issued evacuation orders, according to the UN.
HRW’s report says this amounts to “forcible transfer” and that “evidence shows it has been systematic and part of a state policy”. It also says Israeli actions appear to “meet the definition of ethnic cleansing”.
Israel said the report was "completely false and detached from reality".
"Contrary to claims in HRW's report, Israel's efforts are directed solely at dismantling Hamas's terror capabilities and not at the people of Gaza," Oren Marmorstein, a spokesperson of Israel's ministry of foreign affairs posted on X.
He added that Israel would "continue to operate in accordance with the law of armed conflict".