Former Minister Yaalon accuses Israel of carrying out 'ethnic cleansing' in Gaza

Israel's former defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, on Saturday accused the Israeli military of committing "ethnic cleansing" in the Gaza Strip, triggering widespread criticism in the country.

In an interview on the private DemocratTV channel, Yaalon stated, "The path we are on leads to conquest, annexation, and ethnic cleansing." He further elaborated on his claim, saying, "What is happening there? There is no longer a Beit Lahia, no more Beit Hanoun. The army is intervening in Jabalia, and essentially, the land is being cleared of Arabs."

The northern Gaza Strip, including the areas Yaalon referred to, has been the focus of an Israeli offensive since October 6, aimed at preventing Hamas from re-establishing its presence. Yaalon, 74, who served as the head of the Israeli army from 2002 to 2005 before Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, was also defense minister and deputy prime minister before resigning in 2016 over disagreements with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Yaalon's comments sparked immediate outrage in Israel. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called it a "shame" for Israel to have had someone like Yaalon as defense minister and army chief. Netanyahu’s Likud party criticized his remarks as "empty and dishonest," describing them as a "gift to the ICC and Israel's enemies."

The criticism referenced the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for suspected crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.

The current war in Gaza began after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians. In response, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed 44,382 people, according to the health ministry in Gaza, figures that the UN considers reliable. Earlier this month, a UN special committee described the situation in Gaza as resulting in "mass civilian casualties" and life-threatening conditions imposed on Palestinians, with the committee stating that Israel's actions were "consistent with the characteristics of genocide." Israel rejected this assessment, labeling it "anti-Israel fabrications."