An independent United Nations Commission of Inquiry has found that Israel has committed acts of genocide in Gaza, naming senior Israeli leaders as responsible for policies and rhetoric that meet the legal thresholds of the 1948 UN Genocide Convention.

The Commission’s report, released on Tuesday, concludes that since October 2023, Israel has committed four of the five acts listed in the Convention. These include killing members of a group, causing serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting living conditions calculated to bring about the group’s destruction, and implementing measures intended to prevent births.

The findings point to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as among those who incited or implemented policies leading to genocide. The Commission cited statements by Israeli leaders, widespread destruction of infrastructure, blocking of humanitarian aid, and verified patterns of forced displacement.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, nearly 65,000 people have been killed in the enclave since Israel launched military operations in response to the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack. The Commission said the scale of death, damage to health facilities, including a fertility clinic, and deliberate obstruction of essential aid all demonstrate intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.

“The evidence before us is clear and consistent,” the report stated. “Israeli authorities have pursued a policy that goes beyond military necessity and shows deliberate intent to bring about the destruction of Palestinians in Gaza.”

The only provision of the Convention that the inquiry did not find satisfied was the transfer of children from one group to another.

Israeli Response

Israel has rejected the findings outright. Its ambassador in Geneva, Daniel Meron, called the report “scandalous and fabricated,” accusing the Commission of bias and of acting as a political tool for Hamas and its allies. Israeli officials insist their campaign in Gaza is a lawful war aimed at defending the state from terrorism.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office dismissed the report as “another attempt to delegitimise Israel” and vowed that military operations would continue.

Global Reactions

The report has already triggered international debate. U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Türk urged Israel to “stop the carnage” in Gaza City, warning that the evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity is overwhelming.

Analysts say the Commission’s findings significantly raise the stakes for Israel in international forums. Legal scholar Michael Becker noted that the report could “become central to ongoing proceedings at the International Court of Justice, where South Africa has already accused Israel of genocide.”

Former U.N. prosecutor Carla Del Ponte said the report “closes the debate on whether what is happening in Gaza is merely excessive force or something more grave. It is genocide as defined by international law.”

Political scientist Leila al-Khoury argued that the report places pressure on Israel’s allies. “For countries that have supported Israel militarily and diplomatically, this is a turning point. They must now decide whether to continue backing a government accused of genocide.”

Reactions in South Africa

South Africa, which has led international legal action against Israel, is expected to use the findings to strengthen its case at the ICJ in The Hague. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomed the report, saying it vindicated long-standing claims that Israel’s conduct in Gaza was genocidal.

“The horror being inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza is not collateral damage but a deliberate campaign with genocidal intent,” the party said in a statement. It urged the government to close the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria immediately and to impose sanctions.

South Africa’s Parliament previously passed a resolution demanding the embassy’s closure, but the executive has yet to implement it.

What Happens Next

The Commission of Inquiry’s report is not legally binding, but it carries significant weight within the U.N. system. Analysts believe it will influence debates at the General Assembly and Security Council, though any binding resolution could be blocked by veto powers.

At the legal level, the findings are expected to be incorporated into proceedings at both the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, where prosecutors are examining possible charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Humanitarian groups say the report underscores the urgency of halting military operations. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted access for aid.
“This is the clearest indication yet that international law is being shredded before our eyes,” Amnesty said.

A Defining Moment

The Commission’s report represents one of the strongest international condemnations of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. With tens of thousands killed and the territory’s infrastructure in ruins, analysts warn that the world is at a crossroads.

“This is not only about Gaza,” said political analyst Richard Falk, a former U.N. rapporteur. “It is about the credibility of the international system itself. If genocide can be documented in such detail and nothing is done, it will mark the collapse of global accountability.”

As the international community digests the findings, pressure is mounting for decisive action. Whether through sanctions, diplomatic isolation, or legal prosecution, the Commission has laid the foundation for what many call a long-overdue reckoning.

Additional report from AP, News and Reuters