Observers say Israel’s move to formally occupy Gaza City is part of a broader strategy to destroy evidence of war crimes and prepare for the mass expulsion of Palestinians.
On Friday, Israel’s security cabinet approved the occupation, which critics describe as the “endgame” of a campaign marked by destruction, starvation, and displacement. The plan, they say, is to dismantle Palestinian political power and carry out ethnic cleansing to advance the vision of a “Greater Israel.”
The decision comes after nearly two years of heavy bombardment and siege in Gaza, with official death tolls exceeding 60,000—though experts believe the real figure is far higher. UN human rights experts have accused Israel of “exterminating the people of Gaza by any and all means.”
The move also follows the targeted killing of five Al Jazeera journalists near al-Shifa Hospital on Sunday. Israel has barred foreign journalists from freely entering Gaza, leaving Palestinian reporters as the primary witnesses to the destruction. Critics say these attacks are aimed at silencing coverage and eliminating documentation of alleged war crimes.
Aerial images taken during recent aid drops—showing Gaza reduced to rubble—prompted Israel to ban filming during such flights, further restricting outside scrutiny. Analysts warn that once foreign media access is eventually restored, Israel will have already altered the landscape and concealed key evidence.
Human rights groups accuse Israel of a long-standing policy of erasure, citing mass graves, destruction of archives, and building over razed Palestinian villages since 1948. They say the current occupation will be used to control press coverage, justify further killings by labeling civilians as “militants,” and facilitate mass displacement under the guise of “voluntary migration.”
While some governments, such as Germany, have announced limits on arms exports to Israel, critics dismiss these steps as too little, too late. They are urging the international community to take decisive action—up to and including military intervention—to halt the violence, ensure humanitarian access, and preserve evidence of alleged atrocities.
Advocates say urgent action is needed to prevent the erasure of Palestinian life in Gaza. “For 22 months, Palestinians have said this is genocide,” one analyst noted. “The truth so many have died to tell must not be buried with their bodies.”
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