UN Commission Concludes Israel is Committing Genocide in Gaza

An independent international commission of inquiry (COI) established by the United Nations has concluded that genocide is occurring and is continuing to occur in Gaza, citing a “scorched-earth military strategy” and a series of actions that meet the legal criteria of the 1948 genocide convention. The commission has called on all member states to take action to stop the alleged acts.

The COI, a body of three independent experts, stated that based on its findings, “genocidal intent was the only reasonably inference that can be drawn from the totality of the evidence.” The report, which Israel has categorically rejected, cited several key pieces of evidence to support its conclusion, including the widespread killing of civilians, the use of heavy unguided munitions in densely populated areas, the infliction of starvation, and the forced displacement of the population.

The report also directly accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior leaders of incitement of genocide, stating that their public statements provide “direct evidence of genocidal intent.” In response, Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected the report as a “libellous rant” authored by “Hamas proxies” and called for the commission to be abolished. Israel has refused to cooperate with the COI, accusing it of having a political agenda.

The commission’s analysis, while a significant finding by a UN body, does not represent the official position of the United Nations. However, UN insiders and officials, including High Commissioner on Human Rights Volker Türk, have stated that evidence of a “genocide” is mounting.

The COI’s findings are based on a review of evidence since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023, which was triggered by a Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The subsequent Israeli offensive has led to the deaths of nearly 65,000 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, and the injury of more than 160,000. The commission pointed to the extensive destruction of residential areas and critical infrastructure, as well as the deliberate targeting of Gaza’s health system, as further evidence of a genocidal campaign.

The report highlights that Israeli authorities and forces have committed “four of the five genocidal acts” listed in the genocide convention, a legal framework established in the wake of the Holocaust to prevent the destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.

The commission’s head, Navi Pillay, emphasized that the international community “cannot stay silent on the genocidal campaign launched by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza” and stressed that all states have a legal obligation to take action.

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