Israel is obliged to consider alternatives: mass displacement is a measure of last resort, and the authorities failed to show in Gaza and the West Bank that they had explored other ways to accomplish their military objectives and ensure that any displacement is temporary.

In fact, HRW found in both locations that the Israeli authorities, underlined by state policy, intentionally caused the massive, deliberate and long-term forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity. In both cases, senior Israeli officials have declared their aim to expel and keep Palestinians out of parts of Gaza and the West Bank.