IDF distances itself from 'no return' remarks about northern Gaza evacuees | Israel-Gaza war

The Israeli army has distanced itself from comments by a brigadier general that ground forces were moving closer to a “complete evacuation” of the northern Gaza Strip and residents would not be allowed to return home.

In a media briefing on Tuesday evening, Brigadier General Itzik Cohen of the Israel Defense Forces told Israeli reporters that “there is no intention to allow the residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return.” He added that humanitarian aid was “regularly” allowed to reach the south of the territory, but that there were “no more civilians” in the north.

International humanitarian law experts have said such actions amount to the war crimes of forced displacement and the use of food as a weapon.

The IDF did not immediately respond to the Guardian's request for comment on Cohen's comments. But on Thursday, a spokesman said the comments were taken out of context during a discussion about Jabaliya and did not reflect “the goals and values ​​of the IDF.”

The spokesman said Tuesday's briefing provided only background information and that the brigadier general should not have been quoted in the Hebrew media reports that emerged.

A statement said the IDF was allowing aid to enter the northern Gaza Strip, including Jabaliya. Residents say no aid has reached Jabaliya, Beit Lahiya or Beit Hanoun since a new offensive and tightened siege began on October 5.

Israel has repeatedly denied trying to force the remaining population of the northern Gaza Strip to flee to the relative safety of the south during the offensive, now in its second month. Israel says the move is necessary to combat regrouped Hamas cells.

Human rights groups and aid organizations have claimed that despite the denials, Israel appears to be implementing a version of the so-called “generals' plan,” which involves giving civilians a deadline to leave and then treating anyone who stays behind as combatants.

It is unclear how many people are still in the northern Gaza Strip; Last month, the United Nations estimated that about 400,000 civilians were unable or unwilling to obey Israeli evacuation orders. Social media footage this week showed waves of displaced people walking south through flattened areas of Gaza City with children and backpacks.

Palestinian medics said on Thursday that Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours had killed 10 people in the northern Gaza Strip and seven in Rafah, near the border with Egypt. The Israeli military said it had killed about 50 militants in the past 24 hours.

Israel divided the Palestinian territory in two earlier this year, creating the so-called Netzarim Corridor, separating the once densely populated Gaza City from the rest of the strip.

A permanent reoccupation of the Gaza Strip is not official Israeli policy, but senior Israeli defense officials recently told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the government intends to annex large parts of the Gaza Strip.