Human Rights Watch Accuses Israel of War Crimes Over Evictions

Human Rights Watch released a 105 page report on November 20, 2025 alleging that the forcible displacement of roughly 32,000 Palestinians from the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps earlier this year amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Titled All My Dreams Have Been Erased, the report said hundreds of homes were demolished and that residents were not allowed to return after Israeli operations, and it called for international investigations and legal action.

The organization said its findings were based on interviews with displaced people, review of satellite imagery and analysis of demolition orders. HRW concluded that the expulsions lacked a lawful basis under the Geneva Conventions because Israel failed to demonstrate imperative military necessity, did not provide safe evacuation routes and did not allow the residents to return. The report names Israeli officials implicated in decisions around the operations and urges states to suspend arms sales, consider sanctions and pursue prosecutions against those responsible.

The claims mark a significant escalation in scrutiny of Israeli military conduct in the West Bank by an international human rights group. The camps cited in the report have long been focal points of Palestinian political activity and Israeli security operations. The scale of displacement alleged in the report, if confirmed through independent inquiry, would represent one of the largest internal displacements in the territory in recent years and would amplify international legal and diplomatic pressure on Israel.

Israel defended its actions as necessary counterinsurgency measures and said it would not accept HRW's legal conclusions. Israeli officials have repeatedly argued that operations in the West Bank are undertaken to dismantle armed groups and prevent attacks, and they maintain that any military measures comply with international law. The Israeli response reservedly framed the report as an advocacy document rather than a judicial finding and reiterated national security imperatives.

Legal experts say forced transfers and collective punishment are among the gravest concerns under international humanitarian law, and that the Geneva Conventions place strict limits on civilian displacement unless there is an imperative military necessity. Human Rights Watch asserts that the evidence in the report shows those limits were not met. The organization is calling on international bodies and governments to open investigations that could lead to criminal prosecutions or other accountability measures.

The report will test the responses of Western states that provide military and political support to Israel. Calls for arms sale suspensions and sanctions shift the debate from legal analysis to concrete policymaking, with potential ramifications for diplomatic relations across the region. For Palestinians, the report underscores long standing grievances about land, displacement and lack of remedies, while for Israel it poses reputational and legal challenges that could affect bilateral ties and international forums.

Independent verification of HRW's findings through impartial investigations will be central to how the international community responds. For now, the report elevates probing questions about the conduct of 2025 operations in the West Bank and presses governments to weigh legal obligations against strategic alliances.