UN Commission: Israel is Committing Genocide

In a landmark and deeply troubling finding, the United Nations has concluded that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. This determination was issued by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (CoI), established by the UN Human Rights Council (HRC).

In its 72-page report released on September 16, 2025, the Commission determined that Israel has "committed four genocidal acts" under the 1948 Genocide Convention. This declaration, contained in the advance-version report, stands as one of the most authoritative international assessments to date, carrying grave implications - legally, morally, and politically.

Key Findings That Make the Case Irrefutable

The CoI concludes that Israel is perpetrating several acts defined in the 1948 Genocide Convention, backed by overwhelming evidence. Four of the Convention's five most serious acts are being committed:

1. Killing members of the protected group.

2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm.

3. Deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the partial or total destruction of the group.

4. Imposing measures intended to prevent births.

Beyond what these acts themselves make clear, the Commission finds that intent - a critical and often contested component of the definition of genocide - can be reasonably inferred from speeches, directives, and patterns of conduct. Senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, are named explicitly for statements and policies that dehumanize Palestinians, excuse or even encourage widespread suffering, and block vital humanitarian relief.

Other elements the report highlights:

• Massive displacement of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, which has not just destroyed homes but severely hindered access to healthcare, clean water, food, sanitation, and other essentials.

• Ongoing blockades and restrictions on humanitarian access are not seen as collateral failures but as part of a pattern of conduct that inflicts and sustains catastrophic conditions.

• The destruction of a fertility clinic - which handled thousands of patients monthly - is given special attention as a measure intended to prevent births.

Why This Report Matters Deeply

This is not merely another UN report; this is a legal, moral, and historical flashpoint. The findings may feed directly into legal actions - including cases at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and possibly prosecutions under international criminal law. While the CoI cannot by itself enforce judgments, its detailed documentation and naming of responsible persons create a foundation for accountability.

The report also places immense pressure on international actors - states, humanitarian agencies, and even private entities - to take action. Whether through diplomatic means, economic sanctions, or limiting arms transfers, the global conscience is being challenged in unprecedented terms.

Confronting Denial with Irrefutable Evidence

The Israeli government has dismissed the report as biased and false. Yet such denials cannot obscure the overwhelming body of evidence: eyewitness testimony, satellite imagery, medical records, and documented patterns of destruction all point to a systematic campaign that meets the legal definition of genocide.

The Commission leaves no room for ambiguity on intent. Through the explicit words of senior officials, operational directives, and the deliberate targeting of conditions essential to life, the report establishes the genocidal intent required under international law. Far from being speculative, the findings are meticulously documented and legally grounded, dismantling any attempt to minimize or obscure the reality on the ground.

What You Should Know - At a Glance

• Four of the five core genocidal acts under the Genocide Convention are found to be happening.

• Leaders are named; public statements and policies are taken as evidence of intent.

• The humanitarian toll is presented not as collateral damage but as part of a systemic pattern.

• Legal standards are invoked: this is not opinion, but legal argument grounded in international law.

Get the Report & Data Visuals

To dig into the full text and see the irrefutable visuals:

• Full Report (advance-version): A/HRC/60/CRP.3 - UN Commission of Inquiry report (Advance Version)

• Infographics: OHCHR Infographics - Gaza Genocide Findings

These are not summaries - they are deeply detailed documents that provide evidence, visuals, testimonies. To fully grasp the scale, seeing the images and data side by side with the legal reasoning is crucial.

Final Word

This report is not just another document - it is a historic reckoning. When a UN Commission formally declares genocide, the debate is over. The question is no longer if crimes are being committed, but how the world will respond. For the people of Gaza, the urgency could not be greater - lives, families, and an entire future hang in the balance. For leaders and institutions everywhere, neutrality is no longer an option. History will record who stood against genocide, and who enabled it through silence.

( Source: United Nations Human Rights Council )

The world must act - before Gaza becomes a graveyard of conscience.