By Belal Nawar
Copyright egyptianstreets
An independent UN inquiry has concluded that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, amid an ongoing ground invasion. The inquiry, released on Tuesday, 16 September, highlighted serious violations of international law and raised urgent calls for accountability.
The 72-page report, commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), identifies four distinct acts of genocide committed: the killing of Palestinians, causing serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions that threaten the group’s existence, and imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
The inquiry cites statements from Israeli leaders as well as actions taken by Israeli forces as evidence of genocidal intent.
The Israeli foreign ministry rejected the report as “distorted and false,” asserting that it is based on “Hamas falsehoods” and called for the immediate dissolution of the Commission of Inquiry.
The report comes amid ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israel, where nearly 65,000 Palestinians have been reported killed since October 2023, according to the Palestinian health ministry, which notes that the majority of casualties are women and children.
Recently, US Senators Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Jeff Merkley of Oregon suggested that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is pursuing a plan to “ethnically cleanse” Gaza of Palestinians, implicating the US in the ongoing violence.
The International Association of Genocide Scholars, a prominent body of experts, has also condemned Israel’s actions as genocidal.
Leading Israeli human rights organizations were also among the first to declare that their country is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Ground Offensive Begins l
On Tuesday, 16 September, Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, stated that “Gaza is burning” after non-stop airstrikes overnight killed at least 62 Palestinians and tanks began incursions into Gaza City.
The comments came before Israel launched a ground offensive, attracting condemnation from the UN, UK, Germany and the Arab world.
Earlier this month, Israel’s government voted to seize Gaza City, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describes as Hamas’s “final stronghold.”
Palestinian media reported that heavy airstrikes overnight are in northwest Gaza City specifically.
Tanks were also seen on al-Jalaa Street earlier this week, causing panic and mass evacuations. By Monday evening, over 350,000 Palestinians had reportedly fled the city before the launch of the ground offensive.
Health authorities in Gaza report that at least 59 people have been killed in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed by Israel to 64,964. Authorities also reported further deaths from famine imposed by Israel, with the total number of people who have died from famine and malnutrition reaching 428 Palestinians, including 146 children.
