The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory released a report on Wednesday that concluded Israel committed crimes against humanity, including genocide, during the war in Gaza. The committee also found that both Israel and Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes during the conflict. This report marks the first in-depth investigation by the United Nations into the events that unfolded during the war, which began on October 7 with an attack by Hamas inside Israeli territory.
The commission’s report highlighted that Israel was responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws during the conflict. It specifically noted a deliberate and direct attack on the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, targeting Palestinian men and boys through crimes such as genocide, gender-based persecution, murder, forced transfer, torture, and inhuman treatment. However, Israel quickly rejected these conclusions, accusing the committee of having a political agenda against Israel.
Unlike genocide, crimes against humanity do not necessarily target specific populations but can include attacks on any civilians. These acts must occur within the context of large-scale attacks to be classified as crimes against humanity, unlike isolated incidents that may be considered war crimes. The report will be presented before the United Nations Human Rights Council next week, where the commission’s findings will be further discussed.
The commission of inquiry established by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2021 focused on investigating violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The report also highlighted Israeli “starvation” of Gaza through practices such as withholding necessities of life as a weapon, imposing a siege amounting to collective punishment, and deliberately attacking civilians and civilian objects. The committee found evidence of violence, torture
