This appeal comes after Tuesday’s report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the criteria for genocide under international law.
Human Rights Watch has called on United Nations member states to take immediate action under the Genocide Convention to prevent Israel’s alleged genocidal campaign in Gaza.
This appeal comes after Tuesday’s report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the criteria for genocide under international law.
The commission’s report highlights that Israel’s military operations, including the killing and harming of Palestinians, imposing starvation, and inhumane conditions, demonstrate a clear intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza.
Chair of the Commission, Navi Pillay, emphasised that “the international community cannot stay silent on the genocidal campaign launched by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza”.
Human Rights Watch echoed this sentiment, stating that the new UN Commission of Inquiry report reinforces the consensus among experts about Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza.
As the Israeli government escalates its assault on Gaza City and destroys Gaza’s remaining civilian infrastructure, states have a duty under the Genocide Convention to act,” the group urged in a statement shared on X on Tuesday.
The commission’s findings are based on a thorough investigation, including the analysis of statements made by Israeli authorities and the pattern of conduct of the Israeli security forces in Gaza.
According to the report, these statements and actions indicate a genocidal intent, which is a critical element in determining whether genocide has occurred.
Under the Genocide Convention, states are obliged to prevent and punish genocide, and the commission’s report emphasizes that all states have a legal obligation to use all means reasonably available to them to stop the genocide in Gaza.
Humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave in Gaza, according to reports and images coming out on a daily basis, is dire, with nearly one million people displaced, and residents facing daily bombardment, famine, and compromised access to means of survival.
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