UN Commission says Israel committed genocide in Gaza

A United Nations inquiry commission has found that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, adding that the investigation into the war in Gaza has revealed that Israeli authorities and security forces committed four out of five genocidal acts defined by the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

“The Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza,” said Navi Pillay, Chair of the Commission, as quoted by a UN release on Tuesday (September 16).

“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,” added Pillay.

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‘Killing, preventing births’

According to the inquiry commission, the genocidal acts committed by Israel in Gaza are killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of the Palestinians, and imposing measures intended to prevent births.

Pillay further stated that the responsibility of the “atrocity crimes” lay with the Israeli authorities at the “highest echelons”, adding that “explicit statements” were made by Israeli civilian and military authorities that denigrated Palestinians.

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‘Genocidal intent found’

The report further stated that the conduct of the Israeli authorities and security forces was analysed by the commission. It further stated that the acts under scrutiny include “imposing starvation and inhumane conditions of life for Palestinians in Gaza…genocidal intent was the only reasonable inference that could be concluded from the nature of their operations.”

“The Commission’s assertion follows its review of Israeli military operations in Gaza, “including killing and seriously harming unprecedented numbers of Palestinians, and the imposition of a “total siege, including blocking humanitarian aid leading to starvation”, it said,” stated the UN release.

“For its latest report, the panel also examined what it called the “systematic destruction” of healthcare and education in Gaza and “systematic” acts of sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians,” it added.

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‘Direct targeting of children’

The UN commission also probed the alleged “direct targeting” of children and Israel’s “disregarding [of] the orders of the International Court of Justice. The court in an order issued in March 2024 stated that Israel should take "all necessary and effective measures to ensure…the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians throughout Gaza".

“The international community cannot stay silent on the genocidal campaign launched by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” said Pillay.

“When clear signs and evidence of genocide emerge, the absence of action to stop it amounts to complicity,” she added.

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Israel refutes findings

Israel's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Danny Hanon, brushed the findings, dubbing them "cherry-picked”. He further stated that the “70-plus page report promotes a narrative serving Hamas and its supporters in attempting to delegitimise and demonise the state of Israel. The report falsely accuses Israel of genocidal intent, an allegation it cannot substantiate."