New UN Report Accuses Israel of Seeking Permanent Gaza Control and Demographic Shift in West Bank

A new United Nations Commission of Inquiry report released on September 23, 2025, accuses the Israeli government of pursuing policies that could amount to permanent occupation of Gaza and systematic efforts to enforce a Jewish majority in the West Bank.

Gaza: From Occupation to De Facto Annexation

The United Nations Commission of Inquiry says Israel has demolished civilian homes, infrastructure, and public spaces across Gaza, creating military corridors and expansive buffer zones that now cover 75% of the territory. The report interprets these actions as part of a calculated strategy to permanently annex Gaza, leaving the civilian population confined and increasingly vulnerable.

“74. The widespread destruction of Gaza has created a situation in which Palestinians cannot return to their homes, effectively paving the way for Israeli officials to propose that they “voluntarily migrate” to other countries. The Commission emphasizes that plans proposed by Israeli officials – “voluntary migration” and establishing a “humanitarian city” – if implemented, would constitute the war crime and crime against humanity of forcible transfer and deportation of the Palestinian population.”

West Bank: Forced Displacement and Settler Expansion

In the West Bank, the report highlights a sharp rise in settlement expansions and the forcible displacement of Palestinian communities since October 2023. Military operations in Jenin, Tulkarem, and refugee camps such as Nur Shams are described as unjustified, collectively punishing Palestinians and reshaping the region’s demographics in favor of a Jewish majority.

“78. Increasing violent attacks by settlers have resulted in the forcible displacement of communities and subsequent Judaization of areas of the West Bank. Many settler attacks were committed by settler-soldiers or were observed by Israeli military forces who took no action.”

Israel dismissed the report as “misleading,” insisting its actions are responses to Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. However, the Commission stresses that the scale and systematic nature of Israeli actions go far beyond counterterrorism, targeting civilians and reshaping territory.

The UN report paints a stark picture: Israel is not merely defending itself—it is consolidating permanent control over Gaza and engineering a Jewish majority in the West Bank. These policies, if unchecked, risk entrenching occupation, displacing Palestinians, and further destabilizing the region, posing profound challenges to international law, human rights, and prospects for peace.

Read the report here:

©TNPP