A United Nations commission of inquiry has reported that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, particularly amid the ongoing conflict that reignited in 2023. The commission's findings suggest there are sufficient grounds to conclude that four of the five acts of genocide defined in international law have occurred.
These include:
- Killing members of the group
- Causing serious bodily and mental harm
- Deliberately inflicting conditions of life intended to destroy the group
- Imposing measures to prevent births
Evidence cited by the report includes patterns of conduct by Israeli forces, as well as statements from Israeli leaders indicating intentions of violence. In response, Israel's foreign ministry labeled the report as fraudulent, accusing its authors of acting as proxies for Hamas.
Since the conflict escalated, more than 64,000 casualties have reportedly occurred among Palestinians, and humanitarian conditions in Gaza have worsened significantly, with extensive damage to infrastructure and a severe food crisis declared.
The commission emphasizes that genocidal intent is inferred from ongoing actions and rhetoric of Israeli officials, positing that the state bears responsibility for the alleged actions.
This document from the UN marks a significant escalation in international condemnation of potentially genocidal actions, urging countries worldwide to take responsibility under the Genocide Convention to prevent further atrocities.
