UN expert warns of mass ethnic cleansing of Palestinians

Palestinians in Gaza are in danger of mass ethnic cleansing, Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian Territories, has warned on Saturday.

"There is a grave danger that what we are witnessing may be a repeat of the 1948 Nakba, and the 1967 Naksa, yet on a larger scale," Albanese said, referring to two previous forced displacements of Palestinians. "The international community must do everything to stop this from happening again."

"Israel has already carried out mass ethnic cleansing of Palestinians under the fog of war," the expert said.

"Again, in the name of self-defence, Israel is seeking to justify what would amount to ethnic cleansing."

She added that Israel's military operation had gone "well beyond the limits of international law", and urged the international community to stop the violations and mediate an immediate ceasefire.