Amnesty International accuses Israel of genocide

In a landmark 300-page report released Dec. 5, Amnesty International has accused Israeli authorities of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The report outlines three specific violations of the Genocide Convention: the killing of Palestinians, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions intended to bring about their physical destruction.

The report accused Israel of genocidal intent in Gaza in extensive military actions from October 2023 to July 2024. This assertion comes after a thorough investigation involving interviews with over 200 individuals, satellite imagery analysis, and a review of public statements by Israeli officials. The report highlights the severe impact of Israel's actions, with over 42,000 Palestinians, including 13,300 children, killed, and 97,000 injured. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, and crucial infrastructure obliterated, leaving significant parts of Gaza uninhabitable. The humanitarian toll is severe, with civilians enduring desperate conditions, such as lack of clean water and constant bombing.

Amnesty International examined Israel's claims of targeting Hamas fighters to ensure security. However, the report concluded these justifications lack credibility, emphasizing that Israel has consistently violated international law by failing to protect civilians during its military operations. The organization rejected arguments suggesting mere recklessness, arguing that the patterns of destruction and dehumanizing rhetoric from high-ranking officials indicate an intent to eradicate the Palestinian presence in Gaza. Despite shared findings, Israeli authorities did not respond substantively to Amnesty's allegations. 

According to Amnesty, the detailed documentation within the report points to a persistent pattern of Israel treating Palestinians as a "subhuman" group, thereby undermining their human rights and dignity. Amnesty points to various statements by senior Israeli officials and the broader context of Israel's actions, including what the organization describes as a system of apartheid, unlawful occupation, and a severe blockade in Gaza, as evidence of the intent to eradicate the population. The report emphasizes the necessity for global intervention, urging governments worldwide to take immediate action to stop what Amnesty terms as genocide, including the cessation of arms transfers to Israel.

"Our research reveals that, for months, Israel has persisted in committing genocidal acts, fully aware of the irreparable harm it was inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza. It continued to do so in defiance of countless warnings about the catastrophic humanitarian situation and of legally binding decisions from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to take immediate measures to enable the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza," said Agnès Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International.

Israel has rejected the report's findings calling it a "fabricated and false report," with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sharren Haskel saying Amnesty International has "changed the legal terms for what they call genocide." 

The UN Human Rights Office released a report last month detailing six months of war in Gaza from November 2023 to April 2024, denouncing the "horrific" suffering inflicted by Israel as well as Palestinian armed groups, and warning of potential crimes against humanity. With the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel on Dec. 6 to immediately halt its military offensive in the Gaza city of Rafah, and the recent issuance of International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Israel and Hamas officials, the grim evidence is mounting.

From JURIST, Dec. 5. Used with permission.

See our last reports on genocide accusations against Israel, genocidal rhetoric from Israeli officials, and the apartheid question.