Deportation from occupied territory 'strictly prohibited': UN on Gaza
Much of the Gaza Strip was levelled in a 15-month war triggered by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, and Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for sealing a ceasefire agreement that took effect last month.
US President Donald Trump (R) and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu take questions during a press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2025. Picture: Jim WATSON / AFP.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - UN rights chief Volker Turk insisted Wednesday that deporting people from occupied territory was strictly prohibited, after President Donald Trump's shock proposal for the United States to take over Gaza and resettle its people.
Much of the Gaza Strip was levelled in a 15-month war triggered by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, and Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for sealing a ceasefire agreement that took effect last month.
In a proposal that lacked details on how he would move out more than two million Palestinians or control Gaza, Trump said he would make the war-battered territory "unbelievable" by removing unexploded bombs and rubble, and economically redeveloping it.
"It is crucial that we move towards the next phase of the ceasefire, to release all hostages and arbitrarily detained prisoners, end the war and reconstruct Gaza, with full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law," Turk said in a statement.
"The suffering of people in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel has been unbearable. Palestinians and Israelis need peace and security, on the basis of full dignity and equality."
Turk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said international law was "very clear".
"The right to self-determination is a fundamental principle of international law and must be protected by all states, as the International Court of Justice recently underlined afresh," he said.
"Any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited."
Trump's proposal to take over the Gaza Strip and resettle its people faced a resounding rejection from Palestinians, Middle East leaders and governments elsewhere on Wednesday.
Trump made his announcement to audible gasps during a joint press conference Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he was hosting at the White House for talks.
'UTTER NONSENSE'
Meanwhile, Francesca Albanese, the special rapporteur on the rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, dismissed Trump's proposal as "utter nonsense".
"It's inciting to commit forced displacement, which is an international crime," she said, during a visit to Copenhagen.
"It's unlawful, immoral and... completely irresponsible because it will make the regional crisis even worse.
"This is going to generate panic across the world because it bears huge consequences."
UN special rapporteurs are independent experts mandated by the UN Human Rights Council. They do not therefore speak for the United Nations itself.
Israel has demanded her removal, branding her a "political activist" abusing her mandate "to hide her hatred for Israel".
'VERY SURPRISING'
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, told AFP in an interview in Brussels it was not "clear" what the idea entailed, which made it difficult to comment on such a "sensitive issue".
"It's something very surprising but we have to see what it means in concrete terms," Grandi said.
Grandi also said his UNHCR refugee agency was in the process of "renegotiating" US support after Washington announced a sweeping freeze of most US aid.
"All of this is very fluid at the moment, which is a problem, because we are an organisation that cannot wait too long," Grandi said.
The United States currently accounted for up to 40% of all contributions received by the UNHCR, he said.