UN Commission Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza, Israel Condemns Report
A United Nations commission of inquiry has issued a report accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The findings, released on Tuesday, state that Israel has carried out four of the five genocidal acts outlined by the 1948 Genocide Convention since the 2023 war with Hamas. These acts include killing, causing serious harm, inflicting life-threatening conditions, and imposing measures to prevent births. Israeli authorities have forcefully denounced the report, labeling it as a ‘Hamas proxy’ and demanding its immediate dissolution. The commission’s chair, Navi Pillay, stated that the intent to destroy the Palestinian population in Gaza through these actions is clear, holding Israeli authorities at the highest levels accountable for orchestrating a genocidal campaign. The commission emphasized that failure to investigate or prosecute those responsible for the atrocity crimes has been complicit.
The commission’s findings are based on extensive analysis of Israeli actions in Gaza, including the imposition of starvation and inhumane living conditions for Palestinians, which the report concludes is the only reasonable inference of genocidal intent. It also highlights the ‘systematic destruction’ of healthcare and education infrastructure, along with reported ‘systematic’ sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians. The report urges Israel to ‘end the genocide in Gaza’ and calls on UN member states to halt arms transfers and prosecute individuals or companies complicit in genocide. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has dismissed the commission’s report as ‘fake,’ accusing its authors of being ‘Hamas proxies’ and calling for the ‘immediate abolition’ of the panel.
The conflict has continued since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a surprise assault on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 captives. The Palestinian death toll has risen to 64,905 as of Monday, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. On Tuesday, Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza City— one of the few areas still outside IDF control— after weeks of intensified strikes on alleged Hamas targets. The move followed the Israeli Security Cabinet’s approval of plans to seize the city last month. The geopolitical tensions have further escalated with both sides accusing each other of war crimes, raising concerns over potential international legal consequences and the humanitarian impact of the ongoing conflict on the civilian population.