A new report by a United Nations committee concludes that Israel’s actions during its military offensive in Gaza, which began over a year ago, align with the definition of genocide under international law.
The committee cites the Israeli government’s policies that deprive Palestinians of essential resources like food, water, and fuel, along with systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid, as evidence of intent to inflict severe harm for political and military objectives. The findings will be presented to the U.N. General Assembly on November 18, 2024.
The U.N. Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices has monitored human rights conditions in occupied territories since 1968. Due to lack of cooperation from Israel, investigators could not access affected areas directly.
The report focuses on the devastating humanitarian impact of Israel’s military campaign, which followed an attack by Hamas militants in October 2023. The campaign has displaced nearly 1.9 million Palestinians, killed tens of thousands—mostly women and children—and caused widespread destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure.
U.N. Report Accuses Israel of Genocide Amid Gaza Humanitarian Crisis and Global Tensions
Allegations in the report include indiscriminate bombings in designated “safe zones,” blocking of humanitarian aid, and the destruction of critical infrastructure such as water, sewage, and healthcare systems.
These actions, described as collective punishment, are said to aim at erasing the Palestinian presence in Gaza. The findings are supported by concurrent reports from Human Rights Watch, which accuse Israel of mass forced displacement and ethnic cleansing, calling them crimes against humanity and war crimes.
International institutions like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have intervened, ordering provisional measures to address the crisis. Despite these directives, Israel continues to restrict humanitarian aid and has faced limited consequences, primarily owing to the support of powerful allies like the United States.
The U.S. State Department has rejected the U.N. report’s characterization of genocide, calling it unfounded, while maintaining strong backing for Israel.
The term “genocide” has gained traction in assessments of Israel’s conduct, with U.N. officials and legal experts highlighting a pattern of settler-colonial violence aimed at eliminating the Palestinian population. Calls for international accountability grow louder as the humanitarian crisis deepens, with U.N. experts urging immediate action to prevent further atrocities and to uphold principles of international law.
