United Nations investigators on Tuesday accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, alleging that the country is attempting to “destroy the Palestinians” and holding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials responsible for incitement.
Navi Pillay, head of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), told AFP that “genocide is occurring in Gaza and is continuing to occur,” adding that the responsibility rests with the State of Israel.
The COI’s latest report, nearly two years after the war began, cites figures from Gaza’s health ministry—considered reliable by the UN—indicating that almost 65,000 people have been killed since October 2023. Most Gazans have been displaced at least once, while famine has been declared in Gaza City as Israel intensifies its military operations.
According to the COI, Israel has committed four of the five genocidal acts defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention:
- Killing members of the group
- Inflicting serious bodily or mental harm
- Imposing life conditions aimed at destroying the group
- Implementing measures to prevent births within the group
Investigators pointed to explicit statements by Israeli leaders and the conduct of military operations as evidence of “intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a group.” The report names Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as figures who incited genocide, while authorities failed to act against them.
Pillay stressed that the “atrocity crimes” were the responsibility of Israel’s highest authorities. Though the COI is not a judicial body, its findings may influence diplomatic pressure and support evidence for future international court proceedings. She confirmed the commission is cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC), sharing thousands of pieces of evidence.
Pillay further warned that global silence amounts to “complicity” in Israel’s actions. While NGOs, UN experts, and courts have previously raised genocide allegations, Israeli authorities strongly reject them.
In January 2024, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, and later the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The move angered Washington, and last month the US administration under President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on two ICC judges and prosecutors, banning their entry into the United States and freezing their assets.
