The UN's special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing said Israel’s continued destruction of housing in Gaza is “part of an act of genocide” and the devastation has continued during the ceasefire that was reached in early October.
“Actually, Israel has continued to kill individuals and to demolish homes and then also to deny any aid to come in insufficient quantities," Balakrishnan Rajagopal told Anadolu in an interview.
The ceasefire has not been fully implemented, and currently there is no mechanism to ensure compliance or enforce consequences, he said.
Rajagopal said the situation in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 69,000 people since October 2023 and reduced large parts of the territory to rubble, is “still not that different from the time before the signing of the ceasefire."
He stressed that while large-scale aerial bombings have stopped, other forms of destruction, killings, and denial of aid continue, and the territory remains under occupation.
Israel justifies its attacks on homes by claiming they are “military objectives,” Rajagopal said, noting that in nearly all cases, it has provided no evidence, leading to widespread and arbitrary destruction of housing.
Rajagopal also warned that Israeli actions amount to a “grave violation of the laws of war”, a “crime against humanity”, and, given the systematic nature of the attacks, form part of an ongoing “act of genocide” in Gaza.
'Domicide'
Rajagopal said most Israeli home demolitions occur after areas are fully controlled, not during active fighting.
He underlined that Israeli forces often plant explosives in neighbourhoods before destroying homes, actions he called illegal and not part of any legitimate war.
“Those acts of demolitions are completely contrary to international law” and are a “domicide,” the mass destruction of housing during conflict, Rajagopal said.
He urged recognising this as an “act of war”, “genocide,” and “crimes against humanity.”
Inadequate shelters
The UN rapporteur stressed the severity of Gaza’s crisis, noting that over 288,000 Palestinian families lack adequate shelter and many are wading through floodwaters up to two feet deep.
“Winter is setting in, so it's also getting extremely cold. This poses a particular danger to infants and children, as well as women and older persons, the threat of diseases, including water-borne diseases, is rising very rapidly. So we are in a very critical moment,” he said.
Rajagopal noted Israel has not provided sufficient clearance for tents and caravans required under the 20-point US-backed ceasefire plan, adding that aid trucks are waiting at the border, but Israel is blocking their entry.
He accused Israel of deliberately withholding shelter to force movement, gradually increasing control over Gaza as part of a wider annexation strategy.
