The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Tuesday accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza with the intent to destroy the population, according to a report published by Middle East–based Arab News.
Navi Pillay, chair of the commission, said in a statement: “Genocide is taking place in Gaza, and it is continuing. The full responsibility lies with the State of Israel.” The report added that inflammatory rhetoric by Israel’s prime minister and senior officials cannot shield them from accountability.
Israel has categorically rejected the allegations. Its foreign ministry dismissed the report as “distorted and false,” and called for the immediate dissolution of the commission.
Since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, the conflict has killed nearly 65,000 people in Gaza, according to the enclave’s health ministry—a figure recognized as credible by the UN. The war has displaced vast numbers of civilians, many multiple times. As Israel intensifies its offensive to seize control of Gaza City, more people are losing their homes, prompting the UN to issue warnings of imminent famine.
The COI report stated that Israeli authorities and military forces have committed four of the five crimes outlined in the 1948 Genocide Convention:
Killing members of a group.
Causing serious bodily or mental harm.
Inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s destruction.
Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
Source: Arab News