A United Nations commission has concluded that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide. On Tuesday, September 16th, Navi Pillay, chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, announced that Israeli leaders and security forces carried out four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law since the conflict began in October 2023. The report said these acts were committed with the intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.
The commission’s 72-page report cited mass civilian killings, widespread destruction, reproductive violence, and the deliberate imposition of conditions that could destroy the population. Pillay explained that the panel focused on the facts, examining statements and actions by Israeli authorities to determine that “genocidal intent was the only reasonable inference.”
According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 64,964 Palestinians have been killed and more than 164,000 wounded since October 2023. Homes, hospitals, and essential infrastructure have been devastated, and UN-backed experts have declared a famine in Gaza City. The commission said President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant “incited the commission of genocide” in speeches, including references to Palestinians as “human animals” and pledges to inflict “mighty vengeance.”
The inquiry emphasized that its findings hold the state accountable. Pillay told reporters that “under the law, the state is held responsible,” asserting that Israel itself bears responsibility. The panel recommended a permanent ceasefire, unrestricted UN access to Gaza, and an end to starvation tactics and restrictions on humanitarian aid distribution.
Israel categorically rejected the findings. The foreign ministry called the report distorted and false and accused its authors of acting as “Hamas proxies.” Daniel Meron, Israel’s representative to the UN, condemned the inquiry as a “libellous rant.” Military officials insisted that operations comply with international law, aim only to defeat Hamas, and secure the release of hostages, while denying any intent to target civilians.
The report is the strongest UN-backed statement yet on the conflict, though it does not constitute a binding legal ruling. The International Court of Justice is separately hearing a case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide, a process that could take years. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes continued across Gaza, with dozens killed on the same day the commission released its findings, highlighting the ongoing scale of destruction.
