UN Officially Declares Israel’s Actions in Gaza as Genocide

After nearly two years of destruction, on 16 September, the United Nations formally declared that Israel’s conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide.

A report released on Tuesday by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry holds Israel, including its highest-ranking leaders, responsible for orchestrating what investigators called a “genocidal campaign.”

UN Report Names Israeli Leadership Responsible

The Commission’s chair, Navi Pillay, said the inquiry identified Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as directly responsible based on their “statements and the orders that they’ve given.”

United States Mission Geneva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

“Because these three individuals were agents of the state, under the law, the state is held responsible. So we say it’s [the] State of Israel that has committed genocide,” Pillay told Al Jazeera.

The panel concluded that Israel had carried out four of the five genocidal acts outlined in the 1948 Genocide Convention: killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm, inflicting life conditions calculated to destroy the group, and imposing measures intended to prevent births.

Acts of Genocide Documented

According to the report, Israel’s operations in Gaza included:

The killing of tens of thousands of civilians, many through the use of wide-impact munitions.
Starvation policies, including blocking humanitarian aid during a total siege.
Destruction of healthcare and education systems, worsening already dire living conditions.
Direct targeting of children, sexual and gender-based violence, and systematic attacks on religious and cultural sites.

The Commission stressed that “genocidal intent was the only reasonable inference” from Israel’s conduct.

“The Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza,” Pillay said. “It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.”

Scale of Death and Destruction

Since the genocide began on 7 October 2023, Israel’s actions have devastated Gaza.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 64,871 Palestinians have been killed and 164,610 wounded in airstrikes and ground operations as of this week.

The UN’s humanitarian wing (OCHA) confirmed famine in Gaza City, where nearly one million residents face daily bombardments and restrictions on survival essentials.

Israel Rejects the Findings

Israel dismissed the report as biased and false. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the inquiry “fake” and accused its authors of “serving as Hamas proxies.”

In Geneva, Israel’s ambassador Daniel Meron denounced the findings as “scandalous” and a “libellous rant.” He insisted the conclusions were “cherry-picked” and aimed at “delegitimizing and demonizing the state of Israel.”

International Legal Context

This is not the first time Israel has faced formal genocide allegations. In 2023, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, a case that remains ongoing.

Amnesty International also described Israel’s campaign earlier this year as a “live-streamed genocide.”

The UN inquiry noted Israel had ignored ICJ orders to allow humanitarian aid and prevent worsening conditions. Pillay said: “Israel has flagrantly disregarded the orders for provisional measures from the International Court of Justice and warnings from Member States, UN offices, human rights organisations and civil society groups.”

Commission’s Recommendations

The report called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and full humanitarian access to Gaza. It urged Israel to end its policy of starvation, lift the siege, and halt the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid system, which it said has contributed to thousands of deaths and injuries.

The Commission also recommended:

States stop supplying arms and equipment to Israel that could be used in genocidal acts.
Governments prosecute individuals or corporations in their jurisdiction found complicit.
Israel allow UN investigators access to Gaza, East Jerusalem, and Israel to continue inquiries.

“The international community cannot stay silent on the genocidal campaign launched by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” Pillay warned. “Every day of inaction costs lives and erodes the credibility of the international community.”

Intensified Fighting on Day of Report

Even as the UN released its findings, Israeli forces intensified their assault on Gaza. Defence Minister Israel Katz declared the enclave was “on fire” as ground troops advanced into Gaza City.

By Tuesday evening, at least 62 Palestinians were killed, most in strikes on Gaza City, according to medical officials.

Watch the video here:-