A New UN Investigation Concludes that Israel Is Committing Genocide In Gaza.

A New UN Investigation Concludes Israel is Committing Genocide In Gaza.

A new in-depth report from the United Nations human rights council found that “Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza”.

The report documented that Israel has committed four out of the five genocidal acts defined by the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Killing Members of the Group.

First, the report found that Israel has committed the first genocidal act defined by the 1948 genocide convention, killing members of the group.

It notes, “Israel has used heavy unguided munitions with a wide margin of error in densely populated residential areas. The outcome of these attacks is consistent with the stated strategy employed by Israel. As one Israeli security forces spokesperson said, ‘we are focused on what causes maximum damage.’”.

The report goes on to write, “The Commission observed that the Israeli security forces repeatedly subjected urban areas in the Gaza Strip to heavy bombardment with explosive weapons with wide-area effect, rather than precision guided (or “smart”) weapons, leading to the complete destruction of neighbourhoods. The number of bombs used by Israel since 7 October 2023 is extraordinary even in comparison to other world conflicts”.

It quoted one military expert who said, ““Israel is dropping in less than a week what the United States was dropping in Afghanistan in a year, in a much smaller, much more densely populated area”.

Furthermore, the report documented that Israel “carried out 498 attacks on healthcare facilities in the Gaza Strip”, which “directly resulted in the killing of civilians, including children and pregnant women, who were receiving treatment or seeking shelter,” adding that “due to the absence of crucial medical care, many injured Palestinians who were able to access a hospital still succumbed to their injuries”.

Furthermore, the report noted that Palestinian civilians were targeted in evacuation routes and in safe zones, writing “, in relation to the targeting of Palestinians along evacuation routes and in safe zones, the Commission found that Palestinians, including women and children, were directly targeted and killed, even in the absence of hostilities in the vicinity and when they were by themselves.”

The report notes, “In all cases analysed by the Commission in relation to the attacks along the evacuation routes and within designated safe areas, the Commission found that the Israeli security forces had clear knowledge of the presence of Palestinian civilians along the evacuation routes and within the safe areas but nevertheless they shot at and killed civilians, some of whom (including children) were holding makeshift white flags”.

Along with this, the report documents the intentional deaths from the Israeli blockade on Gaza ,including the blockade of medicine, writing:

Medical personnel told the Commission about increases in maternal morbidity and child neonatal and intrapartum death which was likely due to the extremely difficult conditions, including the lack of space, medication, and equipment. The Commission interviewed an obstetrician who spoke about deaths of pregnant patients he had treated, whom he referred to as “indirect victims of war”. Several of these deaths were due to the lack of adequate medication and treatment. In one case, a pregnant woman in her early 30s died in Al-Emirati Hospital in Rafah due to an infection (septicaemia) following a complicated Caesarean section. The obstetrician also spoke about another pregnant woman he treated at the European Hospital; the woman, who was diabetic, died due to lack of adequate medication and treatment

The report also documented the IDF’s killing of civilians at the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” (GHF) fake aid sites, writing, “Several doctors have told the Commissioners that many Palestinians, including children, were shot at when they were at GHF sites. An emergency doctor in Gaza told the Commission that Nasser Medical Complex had received mass casualties from a GHF distribution point in Rafah. According to the doctor, victims, including children, from the GHF distribution site suffered from gunshot, shrapnel, and quadcopter wounds. He told the Commission that among the child victims were a one-and-a-half-year-old girl who suffered from a single shot to the chest while she was in her mother’s arms and, on a different day, a 13-year-old girl who was also shot in the chest”.

It went on to write, “Another doctor who was also at Nasser Medical Complex told the Commission that he had received many child victims who came from two GHF sites, all of whom suffered from gunshot wounds.”

Finally, the report notes that “Palestinians in Gaza were attacked in their homes, at hospitals, in shelters (including schools and religious sites), during the evacuations, and in designated safe zones” and that “at times, civilians, journalists, healthcare professionals, humanitarian workers, and other protected persons were directly targeted and killed”.

It documented that “The Commission has found in its previous reports that Israeli security forces have deliberately targeted and killed medical personnel and aid workers.”

This section of the report concludes that “the Commission analysed the scale of the killings and concluded that the killings of Palestinian civilians were conducted in a large-scale manner over a significant period of time and widespread geographical area”.

It also concluded that “The victims of the bombing were not singled out or targeted as individual civilians. On the contrary, victims were targeted collectively due to their identity as Palestinians.”

Causing Serious Bodily or Mental Harm to Members of the Group.

Following this, the report notes that Israel is guilty of violating the “Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group” clause of the genocide convention.

It notes that Israel has inflicted “environmental destruction in Gaza since 7 October 2023”, documenting “60,368 destroyed structures, 20,050 severely damaged structures, 56,292 moderately damaged structures, and 34,102 possibly damaged structures for a total of 170,812 structures”.

It noted that there is an “estimated total of 50,773,494 tonnes of debris in Gaza as of 1 December 2024, which would take approximately 21 years to completely dispose of”.

It also noted that “Toxic remnants of deadly explosions released into the environment, including hazardous heat and chemical reactions, pose long-term threats for generations”.

One Palestinian environmental expert told the commission that “Smoke and ash from the destruction of homes and other infrastructure, combined with particles from cement, severely damage the respiratory health of Palestinians in Gaza. These fine particles settle in the lungs, increasing the risk of long-term health problems such as lung cancer, and exacerbating conditions in individuals with weakened immune systems, especially those suffering from asthma.”

The report also documented that “Attacks on residential buildings have resulted in significant life-altering physical, emotional, and cognitive harm for affected children, many of whom had to be pulled from the rubble with various degrees of injuries.”

Furthermore, the report documented that ‘Medical professionals told the Commission that they have treated children with direct gunshot and sniper wounds, indicating that the Israeli security forces have intentionally targeted children during their military operations in Gaza”.

Along with this, it documented that “Israeli military operations have resulted in more than 1.9 million people being displaced from October 2023 to 25 June 2025 in Gaza”, noting that because of the displacement, “Palestinians in Gaza have been living in overcrowded conditions and facing acute food and water insecurity and limited access to sanitation and health facilities”.

Along with this, the report noted the mass torture of Palestinian detainees, noting that “the Commission received numerous reports of detainees being stripped, transported naked, blindfolded, kicked, beaten, sexually assaulted and subjected to death threats”.

Referring to the Israeli torture facility Sde Teiman, the report noted that:

Detainees had been blindfolded and handcuffed by Israeli security forces personnel at all times, confined to large and overcrowded makeshift cells, kept naked or near naked for days at a time and forced to kneel in stress positions for hours, while also being prohibited from speaking. They had been denied adequate access to toilets and showers, and many had been forced to wear diapers. They had been subjected to beatings, including with batons and wooden sticks, even while immobilised, and intimidation and attacks by dogs.Many detainees had been bound to a screw placed high on a wall for hours, while blindfolded and suspended with their feet touching or barely touching the ground

In one case, a detainee had been left in that position for five to six hours as interrogators repeatedly subjected him to extreme changes in temperatures, using a strong fan and a heat lamp in alternation. The Commission also received reports of electric shock devices being used against detainees. Notably, on 16 October 2023, Israeli Minister of National Security Ben-Gvir ordered significant additional restrictions in Israel Prison Service facilities against Palestinian detainees, including food allowances.

The report also documented the torture of Palestinian children, writing:

Detained children had been subjected to extreme violence during arrest, detention, interrogation and release.In Sde Teiman, children had been held with adults and subjected to similar mistreatment. A 15-year-old boy detained at Sde Teiman facility told the Commission that his legs had been shackled with metal chains and his hands cuffed so tightly that they had bled, yet he did not receive any medical attention. He had been repeatedly punished by being forced to stand with his hands raised for hours. He described his 23 days of detention as “the worst days of my life”. A 13-year-old boy told the Commission that dogs had been used against him during interrogations and that he had been placed in solitary confinement. Notably, released children have shown signs of serious physical injury, extreme psychological distress and trauma.

Along with this, the report documented that, “Sexual violence was used as a means of punishment and intimidation from the moment of arrest and throughout detention, including during interrogations and searches”.

This section of the report concludes that “the Commission finds that the Israeli security forces have intentionally inflicted serious bodily and mental harm on the Palestinians in Gaza”.

Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.

Next, the report documents that Israel has violated the “Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part” section of the Genocide Convention.

The report documents the mass destruction of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, writing “The Commission reviewed photos and videos showing the widespread destruction of residential complexes and entire neighbourhoods in the Gaza Strip, including agricultural lands, public facilities, religious and cultural sites, schools, universities, and hospitals. Many of these locations were damaged or destroyed by airstrikes as well as tank and artillery shells. Some were destroyed by bulldozers or controlled demolitions, rendering these areas uninhabitable. A resident of Gaza City told the Commission that the Israeli security forces looted everything from his house, destroyed his cars, and then burned the house. Notably, Israeli soldiers have admitted to burning homes in social media posts”.

The report also documented Israel destruction of Gaza’s agriculture and fishing abilities, writing:

Prior to 7 October 2023, most agricultural produce came from inside the Gaza Strip. This has no longer been possible since 7 October 2023 due to the extensive destruction of agricultural fields and the restrictions imposed on access to the fields for harvesting, deliveries and transportation, due to the lack of fuel and the collapsed infrastructure, including roads, as well as the continuing conflict. Moreover, the suitability of most of these areas for agriculture has been damaged by the presence of unexploded ordinance. The damage to agricultural lands across the entire Gaza Strip, particularly in north Gaza, poses a significant long-term threat to food production and the entire food supply chain. It has already disrupted the production of essential crops, caused farmers to lose their livelihood and accelerated the severe food crisis leading to famine.

Fishing has been greatly impacted with food production now impossible and many families have lost their livelihood as a result of the destruction of fishing boats and movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli security forces, preventing boats from leaving the Gaza shore. The Commission has noted in a previous report that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip will struggle to regain any significant measure of self-sufficiency in food production even if hostilities cease

The report also documented that Israel's bombardment of Gaza “has effectively destroyed the education system, with significant detrimental long-term repercussions for children and youth in Gaza and for the identity of the Palestinian people as a group” noting that “Israeli attacks have caused damage to more than 70 percent of the school buildings in Gaza and created conditions where education for children has been made impossible”.

Along with this, the report notes that “the lack of access to medical care since 7 October 2023 severely exacerbated the living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza,” documenting that “180 ambulances had been attacked” and that “access was also reduced owing to closure of areas by Israeli security forces, delays in coordination of safe routes, checkpoints, searches or destruction of roads”.

Furthermore, the report documented that “hospitals were forced to cease operations due to lack of fuel, electricity, and medical supplies, with dire consequences for healthcare in the north, in particular for maternity patients”.

It noted that, “Medical experts told the Commission that the destruction of medical infrastructure, lack of supplies and the targeting of healthcare workers have compromised access to basic healthcare and treatment and, as a result, have had direct and indirect effects on health in Gaza” writing that “this has especially affected children”.

It went on to document that:

The attacks on and destruction of hospitals and the scale of traumatic injuries across the Gaza Strip have overwhelmed the remaining medical facilities, leading to a collapse of the healthcare system. The siege of Gaza, which has caused, inter alia, a lack of fuel and electricity, has severely affected the functioning of medical facilities and reduced the availability of life-saving equipment, medical supplies and medications. This has resulted in deprioritising patients with chronic illnesses, leading to avoidable complications and death.

It also documented that “pregnant women increasingly resorted to unsafe deliveries at home or in shelters, with little or no medical support, increasing the risk of complications resulting in life-long injuries and death”.

It noted that due to force displacement, the civilian population was:

-forced to flee their homes fearing for their safety

-humiliated, degraded and attacked throughout their evacuation;

-forced to live in inhumane conditions at overcrowded shelters lacking healthcare and basic provisions such as clean food and water

-attacked along evacuation routes and in areas designated as safe zones

-and prohibited from returning to their homes in the north, due to restrictions on movement and the large scale destruction of the north of the Gaza Strip

It wrote that ‘power outages have drastically impacted the population’s access to clean water because power is necessary for the operation of water pumps and desalination plants. Families have had as little as one litre of water per person per day for drinking, cooking and hygiene, which is critically below the international minimum standard of 15 litres per person per day”.

The report also wrote that “water shortages exacerbated challenges in sanitation services, already burdened by damaged sewage systems, deteriorating infrastructure, and limited staffing. In IDP camps and shelters, sanitation services were inoperable, resulting in a pile-up of approximately 400,000 kilograms of waste each day. As a result, the spread of disease has been exacerbated, including diseases such as Hepatitis A”.

Finally, the report documented “unsafe conditions for women giving birth in hospitals, including lack of specialised personnel, medication and equipment”, noting that “medical professionals noted that it was extremely challenging to manage patients’ pain and prevent infections, as hospitals were often lacking adequate supplies, including epidurals, hypertension medication, anaesthesia and antibiotics”.

Because of this, the report documented that “Palestinian women in Gaza have increasingly been forced to give birth in unsafe conditions, with little or no medical support, increasing the risk of complications resulting in life-long injuries and death for the mother and the child”.

It also noted that “Israel’s use of starvation as a method of war through the total siege on the Gaza Strip has had devastating impacts on children as well, resulting in starvation, alarmingly high rates of acute malnutrition, increasing risks of outbreak of diseases such as cholera and chronic diarrhoea, and significant excess mortality.”

The report said that “an obstetrician informed the Commission that babies born to vulnerable mothers are more likely to die in the neonatal period and are more likely to develop chronic illnesses in their childhood and adulthood.”.

It concluded that the “conduct of Israeli authorities, including those of the Israeli security forces,” followed a pattern of:

-wanton and direct attacks against civilian objects in Gaza

-forcibly transferring Palestinians in Gaza

-using starvation as a method of warfare

-imposing a total siege on Gaza by preventing entry of electricity, fuel, food and water, and means of shelter

-blocking humanitarian aid, including basic necessities, medical equipment and medicines, from entering into Gaza

-and direct attacks on the healthcare facilities, including sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities.

As a result, the report noted, “Palestinians in Gaza were forcibly transferred and forced to live in inhumane conditions deprived of food, water, proper housing and essential medical care. Notably, the Israeli security forces had also intentionally destroyed civilian objects that left Palestinians in Gaza without resources indispensable for their survival and heavily reliant on humanitarian aid that was wholly or substantially blocked by Israeli authorities”.

It concluded that this amounts to “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part’ under article II( of the Genocide Convention)”.

Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.

Finally, the report documents that Israel is guilty of violating the “Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group” section of the genocide convention.

The report documented that:

The Commission investigated the attack against Al-Basma IVF clinic, Gaza’s largest fertility clinic. The clinic was shelled in December 2023, reportedly destroying around 4,000 embryos and 1,000 sperm samples and unfertilised eggs. According to reports, al-Basma IVF Centre served 2,000 to 3,000 patients each month, carrying out approximately 70 to 100 IVF procedures a month.

It went on to document that “The Commission has determined, through visual analysis of photographs from the scene, that the extensive damage to the building’s exterior and interior was caused by a large calibre projectile, most probably a shell fired from an Israeli security forces tank”.

It also noted that the fertility clinic was directly targeted, writing “The Commission emphasises that the Al-Basma IVF clinic was the main fertility centre in Gaza. The Israeli security forces launched a tank shell that directly hit the clinic and caused the explosion of five liquid nitrogen tanks, consequently destroying all the reproductive material that was stored therein for future conception of Palestinians. Furthermore, the Commission highlights that the IVF clinic suffered the most damage, compared to the buildings adjacent to it, indicating that it was the principal target”.

This, as the report notes, shows that Israel has the intention of “‘imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group”.

Proving Genocidal Intent.

To conclude, the report establishes genocidal intent from Israeli officials, citing the fact that “As early as 7 October 2023, Israeli officials made statements that indicated their intention to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a group” noting that “Israeli authorities made many statements that explicitly called for vengeance, destruction and annihilation”.

The report noted that it has “recorded the statements of the most senior Israeli public officials, including the President, the Prime Minister, Ministers in Government, Members of the State Security Cabinet, Members of the War Management Cabinet, Members of the Knesset, other politicians, Israeli security forces officials and commanders, and others in their official public capacity using inciting, provocative, dehumanising language on and since 7 October 2023”.

It notes that “Their words shaped the public narrative and garnered widespread public support for their positions. Their words also affected the development and implementation of public policies and military operations”.

It wrote that it had documented “repeated public messages containing incitement published by Israeli officials. Messages include calling for violence against and the killing of Palestinians, the erasure of the Gaza Strip, vengeance, collective punishment, declaring that there are no innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip, planning for new Israeli settlements on the rubble of the Gaza Strip and calling for the removal of Palestinians from Gaza to third States”.

For example, the report noted that:

On 3 November 2023, Prime Minister Netanyahu published a letter to the Israeli soldiers and commanders in the war, in which he wrote, “Remember what Amalek did to you... This is a war between the sons of light and the sons of darkness…We constantly remember the sights of the horrific massacre on that Simchat Torah Shabbat, October 7, 2023.” The descendants of Amalek, the Amalekites, were enemies of the Israelites in the Hebrew bible. In the Book of Samuel, God tells the Israelites, ‘Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ The Commission notes that, in invoking Amalek in his speech, Netanyahu strengthened the idea that Israel’s war in Gaza is akin to the holy war of total annihilation commanded against the Amalekites.

It also noted that “This would be familiar to and compelling for the many thousands of Israeli military personnel who are religious Zionists, especially for those in military units whose personnel are wholly or predominantly ultra-orthodox”.

The report also noted that a “recording of the former head of Israel’s Military Intelligence (who stepped down from his position in April 2024) was published by Israeli media. He stated that ‘the fact that 50,000 have already been killed in Gaza is necessary and required for future generations’. He added that for every Israeli killed on 7 October 2023, 50 Palestinians should die, and it does not matter if they are children, noting that ‘they need a Nakba from time to time to feel the price.’”.

The report noted that “statements made by Israeli authorities are direct evidence of genocidal intent” and that “genocidal intent was the only reasonable inference that could be drawn based on the pattern of conduct of the Israeli authorities”, which includes:

-Killing and causing bodily or mental harm

-Destruction of cultural, religious and educational structures and facilities

-Siege, starvation and the blocking of humanitarian aid

-Targeting of the healthcare system

-Sexual and gender-based violence

-and direct targeting of children

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