Israeli soldiers clearing buffer zone in Gaza die in explosion

“There is simply no provision in the Geneva Conventions for what Israel is doing along the border, which is a kind of pre-emptive eviction of property,” he said. Professor Rajagopalan expert in law and development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“On a specific property-by-property basis, Israel can take action, but not on a widespread basis across the border,” Professor Rajagopal said. “Israel, as an occupying power, has a duty not to engage in what is called wanton destruction of property.”

The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment on the claims.

The United States on Tuesday reiterated its opposition to any buffer zone within Gaza. “We do not want to see the territory of Gaza diminished in any way,” John F. Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, told reporters at the White House. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken added during a news conference in Abuja, Nigeria, that the Biden administration may be open to “transitional arrangements.”

Although Israel has never formally announced the demolition of Palestinian border homes, the concept of a buffer zone along the Gaza border has been widely discussed in the Israeli news media since early December. Reuters reports this.

Israeli ministers have also hinted at plans to create such a zone since the first weeks of the war. Eli Cohen, then the secretary of state, said that after the war “the territory of Gaza will also decrease.”

Days later, Avi Dichter, the Minister of Agriculture, spoke of creating “a margin” along the Gaza border. “No matter who you are, you will never be able to get close to the Israeli border,” Mr. Dichter said.

Patrick Kingsley And Ronen Bergman reported from Jerusalem, and Ameera Harouda from Doha, Qatar. Reporting was contributed by Michael Levenson, Matthew Mpoke Bigg, Gabby Sobelman, Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, Adam Ragon, Victoria Kim, Johnatan Reiss, Hiba Yazbek, Anushka Patil , Erica L. Green And Michael Crowley.