A United Nations commission of inquiry has concluded that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The report, released by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, states there are reasonable grounds to believe that four of the five acts constituting genocide under international law have been committed since the start of the war with Hamas in October 2023.
According to the commission, Israel has engaged in:
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Killing members of the group through direct attacks on civilians, protected persons, and civilian infrastructure.
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Causing serious bodily or mental harm through bombings, torture, forced displacement, and environmental devastation.
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Deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to destroy the group by destroying housing, hospitals, and critical infrastructure, while blocking food, water, fuel, and medical aid.
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Imposing measures intended to prevent births, including the destruction of Gaza’s largest fertility clinic, which reportedly obliterated thousands of embryos, sperm samples, and eggs.
The only act not explicitly confirmed in the report is the forcible transfer of children, though the commission did document widespread targeting of children and the devastating psychological toll on minors.
Findings of Genocidal Intent
To meet the legal threshold of genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention, genocidal acts must be accompanied by specific intent to destroy a group, in whole or in part. The commission highlighted statements by Israeli leaders—including President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant—as evidence of genocidal intent.
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On 7 October 2023, Netanyahu vowed to inflict “mighty vengeance” and to “turn Gaza into rubble”.
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Gallant described Palestinians as “human animals”, declaring that Israel would act accordingly.
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Herzog stated, “It’s an entire nation out there that is responsible”, suggesting collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
Commission chair Navi Pillay, a former UN human rights chief and president of the tribunal on Rwanda’s genocide, said:
“We looked at statements made by Israeli authorities indicating genocidal intent. And we looked at the pattern of conduct by Israeli security forces. The only reasonable inference was that these acts were carried out with genocidal intent.”
Humanitarian Catastrophe
The war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which around 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage. In response, Israel launched a massive military campaign in Gaza.
Since then, according to Gaza’s health ministry (whose figures are considered broadly reliable by the UN), at least 64,964 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority civilians. Entire neighbourhoods have been flattened, over 90% of homes are destroyed or uninhabitable, and famine conditions have been confirmed by UN-backed experts.
Healthcare, sanitation, and water systems have collapsed, and the population has been repeatedly displaced in what UN officials call “a cycle of destruction and forced movement.”
Legal and Political Implications
The commission concluded that Israel, as a state, bears responsibility not only for committing genocide but also for failing to prevent and punish it. It also reminded the international community of its obligation under the Genocide Convention to act:
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Prevent genocide by using all available measures, including sanctions, arms embargoes, and diplomatic pressure.
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Punish genocide, which includes prosecuting perpetrators and state officials in competent national or international courts.
If states fail to act, the report warns, they may themselves be complicit in genocide.
Israel’s Response
Israel has categorically rejected the report, calling it “distorted, false, and reliant on Hamas propaganda.” The foreign ministry accused the commission members of serving as “Hamas proxies” and said Hamas itself had attempted genocide on 7 October through mass killings, kidnappings, sexual violence, and public declarations of intent to kill Jews.
President Herzog condemned the report, claiming it misinterpreted his statements, while Israeli military officials argued no other army has done as much as Israel to minimize civilian casualties in such conditions.
Israel has also called for the commission’s abolition. In July 2025, all three members—Pillay, Chris Sidoti, and Miloon Kothari—submitted resignations, citing age, health, and the heavy political pressures of the role.
Broader International Reactions
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The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently hearing a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide. While it could take years to reach a ruling, the ICJ has already ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
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UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk stated that while the UN itself cannot declare genocide, the mounting evidence must be addressed by international courts.
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Several international human rights groups—including Israeli organizations such as B’Tselem—have accused Israel of genocide.
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Governments remain divided: some Western allies of Israel insist its actions are self-defence, while others, including many in the Global South, argue the scale of destruction points to genocidal intent.
The Strongest UN Finding to Date
The commission described its latest 72-page report as “the strongest and most authoritative UN finding to date” on the war in Gaza. While it does not officially speak for the UN as a whole, the document carries significant legal and political weight, reinforcing international calls for accountability.
The situation remains under review by the ICJ and the International Criminal Court (ICC), but both processes could take years. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen, with UN officials warning that failure to act risks normalizing genocide in the 21st century.
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