By Lara Kajs
Thinking Out Loud
The war in Gaza has produced one of the largest displacement crises in recent history. As Israeli military operations expanded across the territory, repeated evacuation orders and widespread destruction forced most of Gaza’s population from their homes. These developments have sparked growing debate over whether the scale of displacement may violate international humanitarian law.
The war in Gaza has triggered a humanitarian crisis marked by widespread civilian displacement. As Israeli military operations expanded across the territory following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, repeated evacuation orders, extensive bombardment, and ground operations forced the vast majority of Gaza’s population from their homes.
Humanitarian organizations and United Nations agencies warn that the scale of displacement now affecting Gaza is unprecedented in the enclave’s history. The situation has raised urgent questions about the legal boundaries governing civilian protection in armed conflict and whether current conditions may constitute violations of international humanitarian law.
Israel’s Military Campaign and Civilian Displacement
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly two million people — more than 90 percent of Gaza’s population — have been displaced since the beginning of the war. Many families have been forced to relocate multiple times as fighting has moved across different areas of the territory.
Israeli authorities have issued repeated evacuation orders directing civilians to leave specific neighborhoods ahead of military operations. Early in the war, residents of northern Gaza were instructed to move south as Israeli ground forces advanced. Subsequent fighting in southern areas later displaced many of those same civilians again, leaving large numbers of people without stable shelter.
Israel maintains that these evacuation warnings are intended to reduce civilian casualties. Officials cite measures such as advance notifications, leaflet drops, and digital maps identifying evacuation routes. Humanitarian organizations, however, argue that such measures are insufficient when safe areas are limited or repeatedly subjected to attack.
In these circumstances, the distinction between temporary evacuation and coerced displacement becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. Many displaced families now live in overcrowded shelters or makeshift tent camps, often without reliable access to sanitation, food, or medical care. The destruction of residential neighborhoods has also raised concerns about whether displaced populations will be able to return to their homes once hostilities end.
Proposals for Population Relocation
Additional concerns have emerged regarding proposals discussed within parts of the Israeli government involving the possible relocation of Gaza’s civilian population outside the territory. Reports referencing policy proposals, including documents associated with Israel’s Ministry of Intelligence early in the conflict, described potential scenarios involving the “voluntary resettlement” of Gazans in third countries.
Such proposals have been strongly rejected by neighboring states. Egypt, in particular, has warned that any large-scale transfer of Palestinians into its territory would threaten regional stability and undermine national sovereignty.
International organizations, including the United Nations, have emphasized that the forced transfer or deportation of protected civilian populations is prohibited under international humanitarian law. Any relocation must be voluntary, temporary, and conducted under conditions that guarantee the safety and dignity of those affected.
When displacement becomes prolonged and civilians have nowhere safe to go, evacuation orders risk becoming indistinguishable from forced transfer.”
International Legal Framework
International humanitarian law establishes clear protections for civilians during armed conflict. The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the forcible transfer or deportation of protected persons from occupied territory except under limited circumstances, such as temporary evacuations required for the safety of civilians or imperative military necessity.
Even in such cases, displacement must remain temporary and cannot result in the permanent removal of populations from their homes.
While the term ethnic cleansing is widely used in political discourse, it is not defined as a standalone crime under international law. However, actions commonly associated with ethnic cleansing — including forcible transfer, persecution, or widespread attacks against civilian populations — may fall within crimes codified under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
International legal experts emphasize that determining whether such crimes have occurred ultimately falls within the jurisdiction of independent investigations and international courts.
The Human Factor
Beyond legal classifications, the humanitarian consequences of the war in Gaza have been severe.
As of mid-2025, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, according to local health authorities and international monitoring groups. Women and children represent a significant proportion of the casualties.
Much of Gaza’s infrastructure has been destroyed or severely damaged, including residential neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, and water systems. Large portions of the population now live in temporary shelters or informal encampments with limited access to electricity, sanitation, or medical care.
Humanitarian organizations warn that food insecurity has reached critical levels. Aid agencies have struggled to maintain operations amid ongoing hostilities, logistical restrictions, and damage to distribution infrastructure.
The war has also had lasting social and psychological consequences. Families have been separated, children have experienced repeated displacement, and many communities face the long-term trauma associated with sustained conflict and uncertainty.
The Bottom Line
The displacement crisis in Gaza represents one of the most significant humanitarian emergencies of the current conflict. While military operations and evacuation orders are sometimes used during warfare to protect civilians, international law requires that such measures remain temporary, proportionate, and consistent with the protection of civilian populations.
As the conflict continues, the international community faces difficult questions about how humanitarian law should be applied, monitored, and enforced in modern urban warfare.
Ultimately, accountability and the protection of civilians remain central to any effort to uphold the legal and moral framework governing armed conflict.
Photo Credit: Voices from Gaza – Women’s Stories – Kholoud, by UN Women Arab States. UN Women/Suleiman Hajji. Licensed under CC BY NC ND 2.0
Published 13 May 2025
Photo Context
In September 2024, UN Women interviewed three generations of women from one family in Gaza who have endured repeated displacement. One of them, Kholoud Al Gourani, described the experience:
“This war defies all comprehension. We never imagined we would lose our homes, our cherished memories, and our loved ones… Displacement has become our constant reality.”
The interview highlights the disproportionate impact of conflict and displacement on women and families.
About Thinking Out Loud
Thinking Out Loud is a commentary series by Lara Kajs examining international law, humanitarian crises, and the prevention of mass atrocities. Drawing on field experience in conflict and displacement settings, the column explores the legal and policy challenges that shape contemporary conflicts
Lara Kajs is the founder and executive director of The Genocide Report, a Washington, DC-based educational nonprofit focused on atrocity prevention and international law. She is the author of several field-based books on conflict, displacement, humanitarian crises, and international humanitarian law, drawing on extensive research and field experience in Yemen, Syria, and Afghanistan. Her writing and public speaking focus on atrocity crimes, forced displacement, the protection of civilians, and the legal frameworks governing armed conflict.