Amnesty report accuses Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza

HAGUE, NETHERLANDS: In a landmark report published on Thursday (5 December), Amnesty International accused that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The report, ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza, details alleged systematic actions, including killings, severe bodily and mental harm, and deliberate infliction of life-threatening conditions, all aimed at physically destroying Palestinians in Gaza.

The London-based human rights group report’s findings come amidst a brutal Israeli military campaign following the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks.

By 7 October 2024, more than 42,000 Palestinians, including 13,300 children, had been killed, and over 97,000 injured.

Entire communities were wiped out, and critical infrastructure destroyed, rendering Gaza uninhabitable.

Amnesty said its conclusions were based on months of research, incident analysis, and statements by Israeli officials, marking the first time the group has determined genocide during an active armed conflict.

Under the 1948 Genocide Convention, genocide is defined as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.”

Amnesty asserts that Israel has violated this definition by committing at least three of the five acts listed in the convention: killings, causing serious harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to destroy a protected group.

Israel has consistently rejected allegations of genocide, maintaining that its actions comply with international law and are focused on self-defence following Hamas’s attacks. Israeli officials argue that Hamas uses civilian areas as shields, complicating military operations.

Amnesty Secretary General Agnès Callamard presented the findings in The Hague, stating, “This conclusion was not reached lightly. After six months of in-depth, focused research, we are convinced there is a genocide being committed.”

The report analysed military offensives over the past nine months, which Amnesty claims exacerbated an existing system of apartheid and unlawful occupation. Researchers conducted 212 interviews, reviewed satellite imagery, and verified audiovisual evidence of repeated attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Callamard stated, “The assertion that Israel’s war in Gaza aims solely to dismantle Hamas, without intent to physically destroy Palestinians as a national and ethnic group, simply does not withstand scrutiny.”

Humanitarian Crisis

The report criticised Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid, claiming it contributed to starvation and disease, particularly among children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

“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,” Callamard said.

Amnesty Accuses Israel of Genocidal Intent in Gaza Conflict

Amnesty International’s report criticised that Israel’s actions in Gaza demonstrate genocidal intent, based on the cumulative impact of its military campaign, policies, and dehumanising public statements by officials.

It rejected Israel’s claims that its actions were lawful responses to Hamas’s tactics, finding no credible justification for the extreme destruction and aid restrictions.

Amnesty argued that even the presence of Hamas fighters in civilian areas does not absolve Israel of its obligation to avoid disproportionate or indiscriminate attacks.

The report also dismissed alternative explanations, asserting that the conduct reflects deliberate intent rather than mere recklessness or disregard for civilian lives.

“Our damning findings must serve as a wake-up call to the international community: this is genocide. It must stop now, ” said Callamard.

Amnesty said they reviewed 102 statements by Israeli officials from October 2023 to June 2024, identifying 22 by senior figures that appeared to call for or justify genocidal acts, demonstrating intent.

Verified audiovisual evidence showed Israeli soldiers echoing this rhetoric, celebrating destruction, and calling for Gaza’s erasure.

Amnesty Details Israeli Air Strikes Causing Mass Civilian Casualties in Gaza

Amnesty documented air strikes between 7 October 2023 and 20 April 2024 that killed at least 334 civilians, including 141 children, and wounded hundreds more.

The organization found no evidence that any of these attacks targeted military objectives, highlighting a pattern of indiscriminate strikes on civilians.

In one case, an air strike on 20 April 2024 killed three generations of a family, including 16 children. These incidents reflect a broader strategy designed to maximize civilian casualties and destruction.

“The international community’s seismic, shameful failure for over a year to press Israel to end its atrocities in Gaza, by first delaying calls for a ceasefire and then continuing arms transfers, is and will remain a stain on our collective conscience,” added Callamard.

The organization supports the the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s war crimes charges against Israeli leaders and calls for the investigation of genocide.

It urges states to arrest and hand over those wanted by the ICC, and for the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on those involved in crimes under international law.

Amnesty also calls for the unconditional release of civilian hostages and accountability for crimes committed by Hamas.

ICC Warrants Target Gaza Conflict Actions

Last month, ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, citing alleged war crimes related to the Gaza conflict.

The United Nations Special Committee investigating Israeli practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories released a damning report in November, accusing Israel of actions consistent with genocide in Gaza.

The report detailed widespread civilian casualties, life-threatening conditions for Palestinians, and violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war.

“Since the war began, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies depriving Palestinians of essential resources—food, water, and fuel,” the Committee stated.

“These actions, alongside systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid, demonstrate an intent to manipulate life-saving supplies for political and military objectives,” it concluded.