By Bhawana Gariya
Copyright republicworld
Geneva: A team of independent experts, commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council, has issued a detailed report concluding that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. The 72-page document, released on a Tuesday, urges the international community to take action to end the genocide and hold those responsible accountable.The findings, presented by the three-member Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, add to a growing list of genocide accusations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. These claims arise amid an ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. The Israeli government has vehemently rejected the report, labeling it “distorted and false.” The commission, established four years ago, has consistently investigated and documented alleged human rights violations in the region. Its members include Chair Navi Pillay, a former UN human rights chief from South Africa and former president of the international tribunal on the Rwandan genocide; Chris Sidoti, an Australian human rights lawyer; and Miloon Kothari, an Indian expert on housing and land rights.The panel had previously concluded that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes and other severe violations of international law during their October 7, 2023, attacks, while also finding that Israeli security forces have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.Navi Pillay, the commission’s chair, stated that the report “analyzed Israel’s conduct in the Gaza Strip pursuant to the convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.” She added, “The commission concluded that Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza and that it is continuing with that genocide.” Pillay described the two-year military campaign as “the most ruthless, prolonged and widespread attack against Palestinian people since 1948,” noting that “every day that passes, the killings and the starvation of the Palestinians continue.”While the commission and the Human Rights Council lack the authority to enforce actions against a country, their findings could be presented as evidence to international judicial bodies like the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice. This report marks a final message from the commission, as all three members announced in July that they would resign.Israel has consistently refused to cooperate with the commission, accusing it and the Human Rights Council of anti-Israel bias. The report states that Israeli authorities and security forces have committed four of the five acts of genocide defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention:Pillay explained that the commission reached its conclusion by first examining the facts. “We looked at statements made by the Israeli authorities indicating genocidal intent,” she told the BBC. The report specifically cites speeches by President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, concluding that their words “incited the commission of genocide.”Netanyahu’s statement on October 7, 2023, vowing “mighty vengeance” on “that wicked city, we will turn them into rubble,” was highlighted as a key example. Pillay said the phrase “wicked city” implied the entire city of Gaza was seen as a target.The commission’s report attributes the actions of Israeli political and military leaders directly to the State of Israel, asserting that the state “bears responsibility for the failure to prevent genocide, the commission of genocide and the failure to punish genocide.”The Israeli foreign ministry issued a strong rebuttal, accusing the commission’s members of being “Hamas proxies” and dismissing the report as “baseless.” In a statement, the ministry claimed the report “relies entirely on Hamas falsehoods, laundered and repeated by others” and that these “fabrications have already been thoroughly debunked.”An unnamed Israeli military official echoed this sentiment, arguing that “no other country has operated in these conditions and done so much to prevent harm to civilians on the battlefield.” President Herzog also condemned the report, stating that his words had been misinterpreted.The Israeli foreign ministry also called for the commission itself to be abolished rather than its members replaced, citing what it views as a long-standing anti-Israel bias within the Human Rights Council.The report’s findings follow similar accusations from several international and Israeli human rights organizations, independent UN experts, and scholars. While a number of legal experts have weighed in, the UN itself states it cannot make a formal legal determination of genocide; such a determination can only be made by a competent national or international court.Currently, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is hearing a case filed by South Africa that accuses Israeli forces of genocide, although a final conclusion could be years away. Israel has called the case “wholly unfounded” and based on “biased and false claims.”When confronted with the report, US President Donald Trump, a key Israeli ally, offered a response that reflects a distinct diplomatic viewpoint. A reporter stated that “the UN says that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza,” to which Trump replied, “They voted on that? When it comes to a vote, we will see what happens. That will come to a vote.”This response signals a clear distinction between a finding from a specific UN-commissioned body and a formal resolution passed by a voting assembly. Trump’s words suggest that he views the report as an accusation, not a binding institutional condemnation. By emphasizing the “vote,” he highlights that any formal action by the UN’s larger bodies, such as the Security Council, would require the approval of member states, including the United States, which holds veto power. His statement suggests that the U.S. would likely prevent any official UN resolution on the matter, effectively blocking a formal, institutional condemnation. In a mass exodus on Tuesday, thousands of Palestinians fled Gaza City as Israel initiated its ground offensive. The military operation threatens to further devastate the city, which is already in ruins from nearly two years of raids and bombardments.Vehicles piled high with mattresses and personal belongings clogged a coastal road, as throngs of Palestinians sought refuge in areas the Israeli army has designated as safe in the Central and Southern Gaza Strip. However, hundreds of thousands of residents remain trapped in the city.The incursion into Gaza City, the largest Palestinian city, marks a significant escalation of the conflict, which has destabilized the Middle East and made a potential ceasefire appear more remote. The Israeli military has not provided a timeline for the offensive, stating only that its objective is to “destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure.” Israeli media, however, has speculated that the operation could last for months.This military action began on the same day that a team of independent experts, commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council, issued a report accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.Relatives are mourning following a series of Israeli strikes in Gaza City that have killed at least 34 Palestinians. According to medical staff at Shifa Hospital, which received the bodies, the casualties were a result of overnight and Tuesday attacks.Residents of Gaza City have reported intense bombardments across the area as Israel’s defense minister stated that “Gaza is burning.” These comments coincide with the launch of a new Israeli ground offensive targeting the city. A military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the “main phase” of the operation had begun, with troops moving from the outskirts toward the city center.The lead-up to this ground assault saw Gaza City pounded by continuous airstrikes that toppled buildings. Soad Sakani, a Palestinian woman, shared her grief, stating that an overnight strike killed multiple family members, including her daughter, son-in-law, and their children. Other residents expressed their exhaustion and despair. “How long will we remain like this? We’ve had enough,” said a woman who identified herself as Um Ahmed Zaqout. “We no longer have the energy. Throw us into any country. Enough of this torture here.”According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 64,871 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government but is staffed by medical professionals, reports that women and children account for approximately half of the dead. It does not provide a breakdown of how many of the deceased were civilians or combatants.
