United Nations investigators have accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza, alleging that Israeli authorities aim to destroy the Palestinian population. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) named Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in its report released Tuesday.
“The responsibility lies with the State of Israel,” commission chief Navi Pillay told AFP. The COI, which operates independently of the UN, said genocide is ongoing in Gaza.
The report comes nearly two years after the conflict erupted following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack inside Israel. Since then, nearly 65,000 people have died in Gaza, according to Hamas-run health ministry figures cited by the UN.
Most residents of Gaza have been displaced at least once, with further mass displacement reported as Israeli forces intensify operations around Gaza City, where the UN has declared a full-blown famine.
The COI found that Israeli authorities committed “four of the five genocidal acts” defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention, including killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, creating life conditions designed to bring about physical destruction, and imposing measures to prevent births.
Investigators said statements by Israeli civilian and military officials, along with the conduct of military operations, suggest these acts were carried out with intent to destroy Palestinians as a group. The report cites President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as having incited genocide and criticized authorities for failing to hold them accountable.
While the COI is not a legal body, its findings can influence international diplomacy and provide evidence for future legal proceedings. Pillay said the commission is sharing thousands of documents with the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor.
“The international community cannot stay silent on the genocidal campaign launched by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” Pillay said. “The absence of action to stop it amounts to complicity.”
Israel rejects the accusations. The UN has not officially classified the situation in Gaza as genocide, though UN officials have repeatedly expressed concern over the scale of civilian harm and the use of “genocidal rhetoric” by Israeli leaders.
Previous international legal actions include a 2024 International Court of Justice order for Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza and ICC-issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity.
