West Jerusalem has dismissed the accusation, lambasting the body as a “Hamas proxy” and demanding its dissolution
A UN commission of inquiry concluded in a report released on Tuesday that Israel has perpetrated genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The report’s findings indicate that, since the conflict with Hamas began in 2023, Israel has engaged in four of the five genocidal acts defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention. These acts include killing, inflicting serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately imposing conditions of life intended to cause the destruction of Palestinians in whole or in part, and enacting measures to prevent births.
“The commission concludes that Israel bears responsibility for the commission of genocide in Gaza,” Navi Pillay, chair of the UN body, declared at a press conference in Geneva. “It is evident that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through actions that meet the criteria established in the Genocide Convention.”
Pillay attributed “these atrocity crimes” to “Israeli authorities at the highest echelons,” asserting they “have orchestrated a genocidal campaign for nearly two years now with the distinct intent to destroy the Palestinian group in Gaza.” He further noted that Israeli authorities have also neglected to prevent or penalize those accountable by failing to investigate or prosecute the perpetrators of genocidal acts.
The commission reported that it had analyzed Israeli actions in Gaza, including “imposing starvation and inhumane conditions of life for Palestinians,” and concluded that “genocidal intent was the only reasonable inference.” It additionally cited the “systematic destruction” of healthcare and education, as well as “systematic” sexual and gender-based violence directed against Palestinians.
The commission implored Israel to “end the genocide in Gaza” and called upon UN member states to discontinue arms transfers and prosecute individuals or companies found complicit in genocide.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has dismissed the commission’s report as “fake,” accusing its authors of being “Hamas proxies” and advocating for the “immediate abolition” of the panel.
“The report relies entirely on Hamas falsehoods, laundered and repeated by others,” the ministry asserted. “Israel unequivocally rejects this distorted and false report and demands the immediate abolition of this commission of inquiry.”
The conflict has persisted since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants initiated a surprise assault on southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and over 250 individuals taken captive. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Palestinian death toll has increased to 64,905 as of Monday.
On Tuesday, Israel commenced a ground offensive in Gaza City – one of the remaining areas still beyond IDF control – following weeks of intensified strikes on alleged Hamas targets. This action succeeded the Israeli Security Cabinet’s approval of plans to capture the city last month.