A United Nations human rights panel has accused Israel of committing acts of genocide against Palestinian civilians in Gaza and crimes against humanity in the West Bank, according to a new report delivered to the UN General Assembly today. The findings, issued by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, allege that Israeli forces have engaged in widespread and systematic attacks on Palestinian populations since October 2023.
The panel stated that Israel’s actions in Gaza form part of a broader strategy to exterminate and displace Palestinians, as well as to impose unlivable conditions of life in the territory. According to the commission, Israeli airstrikes, artillery, and gunfire have killed 1,431 Palestinians in Gaza since a ceasefire was announced in October last year, including 300 children.
In the West Bank, the commission found that Israel has committed crimes against humanity, including extermination, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. The report details allegations of Israeli forces intentionally targeting Palestinian civilians and documents graphic accounts of sexual assaults by prison guards and soldiers on Palestinian detainees since October 2023. The Associated Press noted that it could not independently corroborate multiple accounts described in the report.
The commission said that Israel’s actions in the West Bank, reinforced by persistent settler violence, amount to a widespread and systematic attack against civilians. The report accuses Israeli authorities of deliberately targeting Palestinian children and using torture and sexual violence as part of a broader attack aimed at displacing and subjugating the Palestinian population.
The findings come despite a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, with the commission asserting that Israeli authorities have continued to commit genocidal acts with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinian population in Gaza. The report covers the period from the ceasefire announced on October 10, 2025, through the end of September 2026.
The Israeli mission in Geneva has dismissed the report, calling it part of a misinformation campaign to demonize Israel. Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected similar accusations in the past, maintaining that their military operations are aimed at countering security threats posed by Hamas and other groups.
The UN commission’s findings are intended to bolster accountability for alleged perpetrators and may be used by prosecutors at the International Criminal Court or in other jurisdictions. The report documents minute details of the alleged crimes, including intentional killing and injuring of civilians, destruction of homes, and the imposition of conditions intended to make life unlivable for Palestinians.
The Commission of Inquiry was established by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. Its mandate includes examining both Israeli and Palestinian actions since the outbreak of the conflict on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on southern Israel, triggering a prolonged and deadly conflict.
According to the commission, the situation in the West Bank has continued to deteriorate, with military operations and settler violence intensifying since October 2023. The report alleges that Israeli authorities have collectively punished West Bank civilians in response to the Hamas attack, further exacerbating the humanitarian situation.
Why it matters
The UN panel’s report represents one of the most serious international accusations against Israel since the escalation of violence following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. By explicitly accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza and crimes against humanity in the West Bank, the commission’s findings could have significant legal and diplomatic repercussions, especially as the report is intended to support potential prosecutions at the International Criminal Court.
The findings come at a time when the humanitarian situation in both Gaza and the West Bank remains dire, with over 1,400 Palestinians reported killed in Gaza since the ceasefire and ongoing reports of violence and displacement in the West Bank. The commission’s detailed documentation of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity adds pressure on the international community to address accountability and the protection of civilians.
Israel’s strong rejection of the report, labeling it a misinformation campaign, highlights the deep divisions within the international community over the conflict. The UN commission’s findings are likely to fuel further debate at the United Nations and among member states about the conduct of the war, the role of international law, and the prospects for peace in the region.
The image accompanying this article is an AI-generated illustrative depiction inspired by the actual scene of the event.
