Geneva, Switzerland (AFP) February 26 - The UN rights chief on Wednesday rejected as "unlawful" proposals for the annexation of or forced transfer from Palestinian territories, warning they posed a threat to the entire region.

"We must resist any normalisation of unlawful conduct, including proposals for annexation or forced transfer," Volker Turk told the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Such proposals "could threaten the peace and security of Palestinians and Israelis, and of the wider region", he warned, insisting that "this is the moment for voices of reason to prevail".

Turk did not give details, but there have been rising levels of violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and calls for annexation after Israel announced expanded military operations in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Israeli tanks take positions at the Jenin camp for Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank during a military operation on February 24, 2025. Israel said on February 23 its troops would remain for many months in refugee camps in the northern West Bank, after tens of thousands of Palestinians living there were displaced by an intensifying, weeks-long military operation. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly proposed emptying war-ravaged Gaza of Palestinians.

He has floated the idea of a US takeover of Gaza under which its Palestinian population would be relocated -- a proposal met with widespread condemnation, but welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump later appeared to soften his plan, saying he was only recommending the idea, and conceding that the leaders of Jordan and Egypt -- the proposed destinations for relocated Gazans -- had rejected any effort to move Palestinians against their will.

But the US president's official social media accounts on Wednesday posted an apparently AI-generated video depicting war-ravaged Gaza rebuilt into a seaside resort, replete with a towering golden statue of Trump himself.

Tens for displaced Palestinians are lined up in front of a war-damaged building, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on February 26, 2025, amid the ongoing truce in the war between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory. (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)

- 'Impunity begets more violence' -

Presenting a fresh report on the rights situation in the Palestinian territories, Turk said Wednesday: "We urgently need to end the conflict."

To do so, he said it was vital to hold accountable perpetrators of a vast array of abuses committed since the war in Gaza erupted after Hamas's deadly October 7, 2023 attacks inside Israel.

"Israel's means and methods of warfare have caused staggering levels of casualties and destruction, raising concerns over the commission of war crimes and other possible atrocity crimes," he said.

But he raised "serious doubts" about the Israeli justice system's ability to deliver justice "notably in relation to the unlawful killing of Palestinians in Gaza or in the West Bank".

He also noted that "Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups have taken, held, and tortured hostages in Gaza, and have indiscriminately fired projectiles into Israeli territory, amounting to war crimes".

To his knowledge, none of these groups had taken measures to punish those responsible, he said, adding that such "impunity begets more violence".

So to did "delegitimising and threatening international institutions that are there to serve people and uphold international law also harms us all", he warned.

All violations and abuses need to be investigated independently, he said.

While Turk mentioned no names, earlier this month Washington sanctioned the chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court Karim Khan over the ICC's investigations targeting US personnel as well as alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

Khan was responsible for the request that led the ICC to issue arrest warrants late last year for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant.

Clip of Gaza as seaside resort posted on Trump social media

Washington, United States (AFP) February 26 - US President Donald Trump's official social media accounts posted an apparently AI-generated video depicting war-ravaged Gaza rebuilt into a seaside resort, replete with a towering golden statue of himself.

The video, which racked up more than 29 million views on Instagram and was shared thousands of times on Trump's Truth Social network by Wednesday afternoon, prompted some commenters to question whether the president's accounts had been hacked.

The 33-second clip remained on Trump's accounts without denial or retraction hours after the initial posting on Tuesday night.

The video "Gaza 2025 What's Next?" opens with people on a rubble-strewn street emerging from a tunnel onto a beach with palm trees and yachts.

Trump has floated the idea of a US takeover of Gaza under which its Palestinian population would be relocated -- a proposal met with global condemnation.

He later appeared to soften his plan, saying he was only recommending the idea, and conceding that the leaders of Jordan and Egypt -- the proposed destinations for relocated Gazans -- had rejected any effort to move Palestinians against their will.

In the social media clip, the soundtrack includes lyrics such as "Donald's coming to set you free, bringing the light for all to see", and "Feast and dance, the deal is done, Trump Gaza number one".

Seemingly AI-generated renditions of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sip cocktails in swimsuits by a pool, while other shots show what appears to be Elon Musk dancing under a shower of cash on the beach.

A larger-than-life golden statue of Trump is also featured.

Social media users reacted with both support and criticism, but many questioned whether Trump himself had posted the montage.

AFP did not find any evidence the video had been shared online before it was posted to Trump's Truth Social and Instagram accounts.

- Dancers and beards -

One scene closely resembles an AI-generated image of Trump and Netanyahu drinking cocktails that began circulating in early February.

Another scene shows belly dancers shimmying on the beach, sporting thick, long beards more typically worn by Islamists.

More than 15 months of war, triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, have left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins and most of its population displaced from their homes.

Senir Hamas official Bassem Naim said in reaction to the video: "Unfortunately, President Trump is once again proposing ideas and solutions that do not take into account the cultures and interests of the indigenous population."

In Gaza, people who watched the video were in disbelief.

"This video of Trump is full of fallacies and shows a lack of cultural awareness... Gaza won't become a tourist spot like Italy or Spain," said Nasser Abu Hadaid, a 60-year-old resident of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.

"What I know about Trump is that he is a strange but bold president who does what he says he will do. What matters to him is money and investments -- there is no humanity," said Manal Abu Seif, a 23-year-old lawyer in Gaza City.

"Gaza needs freedom, open border crossings and jobs for young people, and is not a playground for tourism and investment," she added.

UN estimates have put the cost of reconstruction at more than $53 billion.

A fragile ceasefire, in effect since January 19, has allowed an increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza, though Hamas has accused Israel of blocking the entry of some essential supplies.