United Nations investigators have accused Israel of carrying out genocide in Gaza, saying its military operations and actions since October 2023 were aimed at destroying the Palestinian population.
The findings came from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which presented its latest report nearly two years after the conflict erupted following the Hamas attack inside Israel.
According to the commission, Israeli authorities and forces have carried out acts that fall within four of the five genocidal actions listed in the 1948 Genocide Convention. These include killing Palestinians, causing them physical and mental harm, creating unbearable living conditions that push the population toward destruction, and measures intended to stop births within the community. The investigators pointed to patterns of force used in Gaza, the scale of civilian deaths, and the widespread displacement of residents as evidence.
The report stated that senior Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, encouraged actions that could amount to genocide, while Israeli authorities failed to act against such conduct. The investigators also linked their findings to earlier orders by the International Court of Justice, which directed Israel to prevent incitement to genocide.
Since October 2023, Gaza has experienced heavy bombardments, mass displacement, and rising civilian deaths. Health authorities in the territory estimate that nearly 65,000 people have been killed, most of them civilians. At the same time, almost the entire population has been forced to move multiple times, with the UN reporting that famine has spread across Gaza City and surrounding areas.
The investigators stressed that international courts may use the findings in future legal proceedings. The commission is already working with the International Criminal Court, sharing evidence collected during its investigations. While the commission itself has no legal authority, it argued that the global community cannot ignore what is happening, warning that silence could make other states complicit.
Israel has rejected the report and dismissed the accusations as false and unfair. The Israeli government has consistently denied that its actions amount to genocide, maintaining that its military campaign is directed against Hamas.
The new report adds to earlier cases already brought before international courts, where Israel faces accusations of committing atrocities in Gaza.