A United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, implicating top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for inciting these acts. The commission cited mass killings, forced displacements, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the targeting of healthcare facilities, including a fertility clinic, as evidence of genocidal intent.
“Genocide is occurring in Gaza,” said Navi Pillay, head of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and a former International Criminal Court judge. “The responsibility for these atrocity crimes lies with Israeli authorities at the highest echelons, who have orchestrated a genocidal campaign for almost two years now with the specific intent to destroy the Palestinian group in Gaza.”
The commission’s findings are based on extensive evidence gathered since the outbreak of the conflict, including interviews with victims and witnesses, verified open-source documents, medical reports, and satellite imagery. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 64,000 people have died in the conflict, and large parts of the population are facing famine conditions.
Under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, genocide is defined as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The commission determined that Israel had committed four of the five acts enumerated in the convention: killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s destruction, and imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
The report specifically pointed to statements made by Netanyahu and other top officials as direct evidence of genocidal intent. One cited example was a letter written by Netanyahu to Israeli soldiers in November 2023, which compared the Gaza operation to a “holy war of total annihilation” described in the Hebrew Bible. President Isaac Herzog and former defence minister Yoav Gallant were also named in the report. Pillay drew comparisons with the Rwandan genocide, noting that dehumanization of victims is a key factor in enabling mass atrocities.
Israel has categorically rejected the commission’s findings, calling the report “distorted and false” and accusing the commission of having a political agenda. The Israeli government has refused to cooperate with the inquiry and demanded its immediate abolition. Israel maintains that its military actions in Gaza are part of a legitimate self-defence response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages.
The commission’s findings carry significant weight, though the body is independent and does not officially speak for the UN. The report adds pressure on the United Nations and the international community to recognize the situation as genocide and to consider stronger measures to ensure accountability. The ongoing war in Gaza has caused catastrophic humanitarian suffering, and the commission urged urgent action to prevent further atrocities and protect civilians.
The inquiry comes amid ongoing legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice, where Israel faces a genocide case. While the commission cannot enforce legal measures, its conclusions may influence international judicial processes, including potential cases at the International Criminal Court. Navi Pillay, who retires in November 2025, expressed hope that the report would open the minds of states and encourage decisive action to address the crisis in Gaza.
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