A highly decorated former Israeli defense minister has caused a firestorm by accusing Israel of carrying out ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in northern Gaza.

The comments by Moshe Yaalon were swiftly denied and condemned by allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who said that they would hurt the country and help its enemies.

Moshe Yaalon, a former Israeli defense minister, has accused his country of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesperson, says its investigation hasn't found evidence of the IDF committing any war crimes or ethnic cleansing.

Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon has publicly accused the Israeli government of committing war crimes and engaging in ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza. He expressed concern over the situation,

Moshe Ya’alon, a former Israeli defense minister and army chief, has caused an uproar in Israel by publicly accusing the Israeli government of ethnically cleansing Palestinians in Gaza. Twenty-four hours after he first made the remark he was invited by a television interviewer on Monday to apologize.

Journalist and Author Antony Loewenstein has commented on Israel’s former defence minister accusing Israel of committing war crimes and “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza.

A former chief of staff for the Israeli military admitted the country is committing "ethnic cleaning" in Gaza and accused Benjamin Netanyahu of "destruction."