Two Israeli human rights organizations declared on Monday that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, becoming the first major voices from within Israeli society to make such a strong accusation, which Tel Aviv continues to deny.
اضافة اعلان
The organizations — B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights–Israel (PHRI) — issued their reports during a press conference in Jerusalem, stating that Israel is engaged in a coordinated and deliberate effort to destroy Palestinian society in Gaza.
Yuli Novak, Executive Director of B’Tselem, said:
“The report we are publishing today is one we never imagined we would have to write.”
He added:
“The residents of Gaza have been displaced, bombed, starved, and stripped entirely of their humanity and their rights.”
PHRI’s report focused on the destruction of the healthcare system in Gaza, stating that:
“Israel’s actions have systematically and deliberately dismantled Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure.”
Israel has denied accusations of genocide since the start of the war on Gaza, including those raised in the case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the charges as “outrageous.”
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer described the accusations from the two organizations as “baseless.”
The Israeli military also rejected the findings, claiming they are unfounded and insisting it adheres to international law and takes unprecedented measures to avoid harming civilians, according to its statement.
Genocide accusations carry significant weight in Israel, especially given the historical trauma of the Holocaust. Israeli officials have previously claimed that applying the term “genocide” to Israel constitutes defamation and antisemitism.
When Amnesty International declared in December that Israel had committed acts of genocide, the Israeli Foreign Ministry labeled the organization as “biased and bigoted.”
The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, drafted after the Nazi extermination of Jews, defines genocide as:
“Acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.”
International concern over the situation in Gaza has grown significantly in recent weeks, as UN agencies report severe shortages of food for the 2.2 million residents of the strip.
Since early March, Israel blocked all supplies into Gaza, before allowing limited aid access in May under new restrictions. While Israel claims to comply with international law, it says it must prevent militants from diverting aid.
Despite these claims, Israeli forces have killed hundreds of civilians attempting to reach food distribution points, according to the United Nations.
In recent days, Israel has announced measures to increase aid, including localized ceasefires, airdrop deliveries, and safer humanitarian corridors.
Throughout the conflict, Israeli media has focused primarily on the plight of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Footage of destruction and civilian casualties in Gaza, widely broadcast internationally, is rarely shown on Israeli television.
However, genocide allegations are not expected to dramatically shift public opinion in Israel. As quoted by Reuters:
“The Israeli perception remains: What do you want from us? This is Hamas’ fault. If they laid down their arms and released the hostages, all of this would be over.”
