UN Inquiry Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza, Citing Specific Acts and Incitement
A UN inquiry accuses Israel of four genocidal acts in Gaza, citing bombings, starvation, and incitement by leaders. Israel rejects the claims as biased and false.
UN: Israel’s war on Gaza is genocide
Al Jazeera
Overview
- Multiple UN inquiries, led by Navi Pillay, accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing four specific acts under the 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention.
- Evidence cited includes bombings of civilians, starvation, reproductive violence, killings, aid blockages, forced displacement, and destruction of a fertility clinic.
- The UN inquiry specifically accuses Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu, Herzog, and Gallant, of inciting genocide in Gaza, based on documented human rights abuses.
- Israel vehemently denies all accusations of genocide, rejecting the UN reports as 'distorted and false,' based on Hamas propaganda, and alleging significant bias.
- The UN commission urged global action, calling on countries to halt weapons transfers to Israel and prevent actions contributing to the alleged genocide in Gaza.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by emphasizing the gravity and perceived legitimacy of the UN inquiry's genocide accusations against Israel. They validate the report's methodology through descriptive language and highlight the "rising chorus" of similar claims, while also including Israel's vehement rejection. This approach, though presenting both sides, subtly elevates the report's findings.
"The ongoing genocide in Gaza is a moral outrage and a legal emergency."
CBS News"The commission urged other countries to halt weapons transfers to Israel and block individuals or companies from actions that could contribute to genocide in Gaza."
NPR"The ongoing genocide in Gaza is a moral outrage and a legal emergency."
USA TODAY"The commission urged other countries to halt weapons transfers to Israel and block individuals or companies from actions that could contribute to genocide in Gaza."
Associated Press"The report is intended to be detailed and damning, presenting evidence it says shows that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza."
BBC News"A United Nations commission of inquiry says Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza."
BBC NewsArticles (13)
Center (6)
FAQ
The UN inquiry identified four genocidal acts under the 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention committed by Israel in Gaza: killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about physical destruction, and imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
The UN inquiry accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of inciting genocide. The evidence included statements such as Netanyahu's November 2023 letter to soldiers comparing the Gaza operation to a "holy war of total annihilation" referenced in the Hebrew Bible.
Israel rejected the UN inquiry's genocide allegations as biased, distorted, and false, claiming the reports were based on Hamas propaganda and denying any genocidal intent or actions.
The UN report highlighted that at least 60,199 Palestinians were killed in Gaza from October 2023 through July 2025, including over 18,000 children and 9,700 women. It documented deliberate targeting of civilians, destruction of healthcare and infrastructure, a collapse in life expectancy from 75.5 to just over 40 years, and widespread displacement and starvation.
The findings could be used by prosecutors at the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice to pursue legal action. Additionally, the UN commission called for global action, including halting weapons transfers to Israel and preventing ongoing measures contributing to the alleged genocide under the Genocide Convention's duty to prevent obligation on all states.
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