THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The largest professional organization of scholars studying genocide, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), announced on Monday that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. This assertion from IAGS, which comprises around 500 members globally—including several Holocaust experts—may further alienate Israel in the court of global public opinion amid escalating violence.


The resolution, which garnered support from 86% of voters, claims that Israel's actions align with the legal definitions of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Experts in genocide studies recognize the severity of the situation in Gaza, stated Melanie O’Brien, IAGS president and a professor of international law at the University of Western Australia.


The legal definitions of genocide were established in a 1948 convention aimed at preventing atrocities following the Holocaust. This protocol requires intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. While the United Nations and various Western nations maintain that only a court can determine the existence of genocide, a case against Israel is currently pending at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).


Israel, which was established partially as a haven in response to the Holocaust, strongly refutes the genocide claims, labeling them as antisemitic rhetoric. Officials argue that the allegations stem from a misunderstanding of the conflict, emphasizing that Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 individuals, mostly civilians, epitomizes genocidal intent.


In the aftermath of the October 7 attack, which also led to 251 abductions, Israel launched a military offensive in Gaza that has claimed more than 63,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza's Health Ministry estimates. These figures remain contentious, with Israeli authorities disputing them, while acknowledging the broader aim of targeting Hamas leaders holed up in civilian settings.


The ongoing conflict raises complex issues of civilian casualties amidst military operations, as well as competing narratives surrounding humanitarian crises. Israel claims it undertakes measures to avoid civilian harm but attributes casualties to Hamas's strategy of operating within densely populated areas.


As the situation worsens, the accusations from IAGS resonate with similar assertions from human rights groups, including Israeli organizations that have raised alarms about the humanitarian state in Gaza. Last July, the rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel claimed genocide, marking a pivotal moment in local discourse.


In tandem, South Africa has accused Israel of violating the Genocide Convention at the ICJ, an allegation Israel contests. A final ruling from the court, which lacks enforcement capabilities, could take several years.