The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Tuesday accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, declaring that four of the five acts under the 1948 Genocide Convention have been met.
According to the commission, chaired by Navi Pillay, Israel’s actions—including mass killings, infliction of serious bodily and mental harm, destruction of conditions of life, and measures preventing births—are calculated to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a group. Investigators said there is clear evidence of “genocidal intent,” pointing to repeated statements by Israeli leaders and the nature of military operations in the enclave.
The report explicitly holds top Israeli officials—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant—responsible for incitement of genocide, noting that no adequate steps have been taken to punish or prevent such incitement.
The findings, however, are not judicial rulings and do not directly carry penalties. Instead, they strengthen ongoing cases at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and could be used as evidence in the International Criminal Court (ICC). Legal experts say the COI’s conclusions increase the international community’s obligations to prevent and avoid complicity in genocide.
Israel swiftly rejected the report, dismissing it as “distorted and false” and demanding the immediate abolition of the commission. Officials argued that Israel is exercising its right to self-defense against Hamas, insisting civilian casualties and destruction are a tragic consequence of warfare—not evidence of intent to annihilate Palestinians.
Critics of the COI say the question of proving intent—a crucial requirement under the Genocide Convention—remains highly contested. Israel and its allies maintain that statements by its leaders have been taken out of context, and argue that the commission is politically motivated and biased.
Nonetheless, human rights groups and several states hailed the report as one of the strongest declarations yet by a UN body, urging immediate international action. Calls are growing for arms embargoes, sanctions, and more pressure on Israel to comply with international law.
The report comes as part of a wider wave of legal and diplomatic challenges, including South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ, where judges are examining whether Israel’s military campaign amounts to genocide. Amnesty International and other watchdogs have also accused Israel of genocide, citing overwhelming evidence of systematic attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Observers say the COI’s findings may not stop the war, but they mark a turning point in how the international system frames the conflict. For the first time, a UN investigative body has concluded that Israel’s campaign in Gaza is not only disproportionate or unlawful, but amounts to an attempt to destroy Palestinians as a people.
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