UN rights chief warns of ethnic cleansing risk as 3,000 displaced in Hebron crackdown

UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned Monday that Israel's operation in Hebron raises serious concerns of ethnic cleansing, as over 3,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Friday. The crackdown began after two gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers near the city. The UN aid office said partners are supporting evacuees, while Türk condemned home demolitions and movement restrictions as punitive and disproportionate. He called for displaced residents to return and for compensation, noting collective punishment violates international law. Settler attacks in the West Bank have hit a record high in 2026, disrupting olive harvests. Separately, a UN inquiry reported Israel committed war crimes and genocide in Gaza, findings Israel rejected as a misinformation campaign.