A United Nations inquiry has found that Israel’s military actions in Gaza amount to genocide, holding the state and its top leaders responsible. The report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, chaired by Navi Pillay, points to statements by Israeli officials and evidence on the ground to support its findings.
The commission found that Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, exhibited genocidal intent through their public statements and military operations, with Navi Pillay telling Al Jazeera that “under the law, the state is held responsible.”
The report states that Israeli military actions fulfill four of the five genocidal acts defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention. These acts involve killing members of the group, inflicting severe physical and psychological harm, imposing living conditions intended to destroy the group, and obstructing births. The commission cited attacks on civilians, widespread destruction of infrastructure, forced displacement, and the targeting of medical facilities, including Gaza’s largest fertility clinic, in December 2023.
Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched attacks in southern Israel, Israeli military operations in Gaza have killed at least 64,964 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which the UN considers a reliable source. Most of Gaza’s population has been displaced, and the territory’s healthcare, water, sanitation, and food systems have collapsed. UN-backed experts have described conditions in Gaza City as amounting to famine.
Israel rejected the report, with the foreign ministry denouncing it as “distorted and false” and accusing the commission of serving as “Hamas proxies.” Herzog called the report a misinterpretation of his words, while an Israeli military official described the findings as “baseless” and emphasized the military’s efforts to limit civilian harm.
The commission recommended a permanent ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, and continued investigation across Israeli and Palestinian territories. While the UN cannot legally determine genocide, the International Court of Justice is currently reviewing a case filed by South Africa against Israel. This process could take years to conclude.
