Former Israeli defense minister Moshe Yaalon has accused his country of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip, criticizing the Israeli government for putting soldiers in danger and exposing them to lawsuits at the International Criminal Court. Yaalon has spoken out against the government’s actions, saying that hard-liners want to re-establish Jewish settlements in Gaza, leading to the displacement of civilians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office referred the issue to the IDF, which denied the accusations of ethnic cleansing, stating that they operate in accordance with international law.
Yaalon, who served as defense minister during the 2014 war in Gaza, has been a vocal critic of Netanyahu and his allies were quick to condemn his remarks. Despite the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other officials over alleged crimes in Gaza, Israeli politicians reject the accusations and claim that Hamas is responsible for civilian deaths in the region. The U.N. Human Rights Office has condemned the high number of civilian deaths in Gaza, particularly among women and children.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in thousands of casualties and displaced almost the entire population of Gaza. The Biden administration rejects the arrest warrants issued by the ICC but has warned of a humanitarian crisis in the region. Despite international condemnation, Israeli politicians, including Netanyahu’s allies, continue to defend their military actions in Gaza.
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