Israel’s attempts to improve its military’s image in the West through propaganda and public relations techniques have proven ineffective as the severity and scale of its attacks on Palestinian civilians are broadcasted on TV and social media. Despite its efforts, even its staunchest supporters, such as the United States, are now calling for a “humanitarian pause” to allow Palestinians access to essential resources like food, water, and medicine.
Israel’s propaganda includes “warning” civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate their homes before they are bombed. However, these warnings are widely discounted by those who follow the conflicts, as most Israeli missile attacks are not preceded by any warnings. This has resulted in a high death toll and a significant displacement of Gaza’s population. Amnesty International representative Saleh Higazi has stated that forcing civilians to leave their homes could potentially be considered a war crime.
The International Criminal Court has an active investigation into the situation in Palestine and should urgently look into these attacks as potential war crimes. Rutgers University law professor Noura Erekat believes that Israel’s intent is to drive Palestinians out of Gaza, which could be seen as a form of ethnic cleansing or even genocide.
Informed analysts see Israel’s advice to residents to leave their homes as a sign of its intent to empty Gaza entirely, possibly by driving its residents into Sinai or elsewhere. Palestinians view this as a repetition of the 1948 Nakba, which resulted in half of the Palestinian population becoming permanent refugees.
Israel may be using these tactics to pursue ethnic cleansing and genocidal goals while the world is distracted by the immense suffering of Palestinian civilians. By creating panic, cutting communications, and depriving Gazans of basic necessities, Israel is forcing desperate and fearful people to move elsewhere to survive.
If this is Israel’s aim, the world can see through its propaganda stunts, such as the flyers asking Palestinians to move to safety, when there is no safety for them in Gaza. It is crucial for the international community to closely monitor and address these actions to prevent further humanitarian crises and potential war crimes.
