In a new and highly controversial report, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, has concluded that Israel is responsible for committing acts of genocide in Gaza. The report comes amid intensifying Israeli military operations in Gaza City and urges Israel, along with all other nations, to uphold their obligations under international law to stop what it describes as an ongoing genocide and to hold those responsible accountable.
Navi Pillay, Chair of the Commission, stated unequivocally that there is intent on the part of Israeli authorities to destroy the Palestinian population in Gaza, citing acts that meet the legal threshold established by the 1948 Genocide Convention. These include killing, causing serious physical and mental harm, deliberately inflicting life-threatening conditions, and imposing measures intended to prevent births within the population.
Israel’s government has strongly rejected the report. Danny Meron, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, dismissed the findings as politically biased and unsubstantiated, accusing the Commission of promoting a narrative aligned with Hamas and aimed at delegitimizing Israel. He labeled the genocide allegation false and the report itself as selectively constructed.
At a press conference in Geneva, Pillay and fellow Commissioner Chris Sidoti elaborated on their findings, noting that the investigation encompassed Israeli military actions following the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023. The Commission asserted that Israeli forces carried out four of the five genocidal acts defined in international law and laid blame on senior Israeli political and military leaders, citing explicit public statements that dehumanized Palestinians.
The report details widespread destruction caused by Israeli military operations in Gaza, including mass civilian casualties, a near-total blockade of aid, and the deliberate use of starvation and inhumane living conditions as methods of warfare. It describes the humanitarian situation as catastrophic, with famine confirmed in Gaza City and residents facing ongoing bombardment under displacement orders.
Further allegations include the systematic targeting of Gaza’s healthcare and education infrastructure, sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians, and the targeting of children. The Commission also criticized Israel for defying orders from the International Court of Justice, which had mandated the country to ensure humanitarian access and protect civilians in Gaza.
The Commissioners emphasized that the international community has a legal and moral obligation to act. Pillay warned that failure to respond to credible evidence of genocide could amount to complicity, calling for urgent international measures to stop the campaign in Gaza.
In a related development, the UN Human Rights Council convened an urgent debate after an Israeli strike reportedly killed five Hamas political figures in Qatar’s capital, Doha. The strike, which also killed a sixth person, drew sharp condemnation from the UN Secretary-General and members of the Security Council. António Guterres called it a flagrant violation of Qatari sovereignty, while political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said the attack endangered regional peace and undermined diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict and secure the release of hostages.
