London-based international human rights organisation Amnesty International has accused Israel of committing genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip.
In a report published on Thursday (5 December), the organisation presented its findings, based on months of interviews, satellite imagery analysis, and official statements by Israeli authorities.
The 32-page report analyses incidents in Gaza from October 2023 to July 2024, identifying Israeli actions that, according to Amnesty, meet the legal definition of genocide outlined in the 1948 Genocide Convention.
It claims that Israel has rendered the lives of the 23 lakh residents of Gaza into a "living hell" through relentless and unaccountable actions.
While acknowledging that the war began with Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023, the report insists that such provocations do not justify acts of genocide.
It accuses the Israeli military of committing at least three of the five acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, including:
- Indiscriminate killing of civilians
- Causing serious physical and mental harm
- Deliberately creating conditions designed to destroy the population physically
- Amnesty described these acts as a "deliberate attempt to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a group."
Amnesty International’s Secretary-General, Agnès Callamard, remarked, "We hope this report serves as a clarion call. This is genocide, and it must end immediately."
Key allegations in the report
The scale and extent of military operations are unparalleled in modern conflicts.
Targeting Civilians and Infrastructure: Direct and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and essential civilian infrastructure have caused immense physical and psychological harm.
Israel has blocked humanitarian aid and electricity, creating uninhabitable conditions.
The obliteration of water, sanitation, food supplies, and healthcare has made survival impossible for many in Gaza.
The report also highlights data from Gaza’s Health Ministry, which states that over 44,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli operations, with most areas of Gaza reduced to rubble. The 23 lakh residents have faced repeated displacement, while the United Nations and Palestinian officials confirm there are no safe spaces left in the region.
While the Israeli government asserts that its operations are solely focused on eradicating Hamas, Amnesty contends that the intent to destroy Palestinians as a group is evident.
The report comes amid ongoing investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Amnesty has urged the ICC to include genocide charges in its ongoing inquiries.
