Crystal Charles
A United Nations commission of inquiry has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, marking the most serious allegation yet against the country since the war with Hamas began nearly a year ago.
In a new report, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory said there are “reasonable grounds” to conclude that Israel has carried out four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law: killing members of a group, causing serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to destroy the group, and preventing births.
The panel, chaired by former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay, pointed to the scale of destruction in Gaza, widespread civilian deaths, the collapse of essential services, and explicit statements from Israeli leaders as evidence of genocidal intent. “Genocidal intent was the only reasonable inference from the pattern of conduct,” the report said.
Among its findings, the commission alleged that Israeli forces deliberately targeted Gaza’s largest fertility clinic in December 2023, destroying thousands of embryos and reproductive materials — an act it classified as preventing births. It also accused Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, of inciting genocide.
Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed the report as “distorted and false,” accusing the commission of bias and reliance on what it called “Hamas falsehoods.” A spokesperson argued that it was Hamas, not Israel, that had attempted genocide, citing the October 7, 2023 attack in which about 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel and 251 taken hostage.
“Israel’s operations are aimed solely at dismantling Hamas, not the people of Gaza,” the ministry said, insisting its military acts within international law.
Since the start of Israel’s campaign, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says at least 64,905 people have been killed. The UN estimates more than 90% of homes are damaged or destroyed, while famine has been declared in Gaza City. Basic healthcare, sanitation, and food systems have collapsed.
International Ramifications
The report warns that under the 1948 Genocide Convention, all states have an obligation to prevent and punish genocide, and that failure to act could make them complicit. While the commission has not yet named specific governments as complicit, it suggested this could follow in its ongoing investigations.
Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice is hearing a separate case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide. Israel has rejected that case as baseless.
Human rights groups and legal scholars say the UN report strengthens the international legal scrutiny Israel faces, raising questions about accountability for the devastation in Gaza.