Genocide Declaration: Leading Genocide Scholars Condemn Israel's Actions in Gaza
International Association of Genocide Scholars finds Israel's conduct in Gaza meets legal definition of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
The world's leading association of genocide scholars, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), has passed a resolution declaring that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
This declaration, which includes support from 86% of participating members, argues that Israel's actions throughout the 22-month-long conflict meet the legal definitions outlined in the UN Convention on Genocide.The IAGS, encompassing over 500 experts including Holocaust scholars, cites a series of Israeli attacks on essential sectors within Gaza as evidence of this genocide.
These sectors include healthcare, aid, and education, all of which have been subject to widespread assaults.
The resolution specifically notes that approximately 50,000 children in Gaza have been killed or injured by Israel according to UN aid organization Unicef, significantly impacting the survival and regeneration capacity of Palestinians.The resolution also highlights Israeli leaders' support for the forced expulsion of all Palestinians from Gaza and Israel's near-complete demolition of housing within the territory.
Furthermore, it criticizes Israeli leaders for dehumanizing rhetoric towards Palestinians in Gaza, including threats to 'flatten Gaza' and turn it into 'hell'.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has responded by calling the resolution an 'embarrassment to the legal profession,' suggesting that it was based on 'Hamas lies' and poor research.
Additionally, they claim that Israel is itself a victim of genocide.While acknowledging Hamas's October 2023 attack as a crime resulting in over 1,200 deaths and the taking of hostages, the IAGS scholars argue that Israel's response has targeted not just Hamas but Gaza's entire population.
The UN Genocide Convention defines genocide as crimes committed 'with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, religious or racial group.' Several leading rights organizations, including two Israeli groups, have also concluded that Israel is committing genocide.While the UN and some Western nations acknowledge these concerns, they emphasize that any authoritative ruling on this matter must come from a court.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently considering a case brought by South Africa in 2023 arguing that Israel is committing genocide.
However, no determination has been made yet, with Israel having until January 2026 to present its defense.In response to the ongoing conflict, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health reports that over 63,557 people have been killed and 160,660 injured as of now.
Though widely considered reliable, these numbers do not differentiate between civilians and fighters.
Furthermore, the UN-backed IPC has confirmed that famine is occurring in parts of Gaza, blaming Israeli restrictions on food and medical aid for this humanitarian crisis.
As Israel controls all border crossings into Gaza and is the occupying power, it holds legal responsibility under international law to prevent starvation.
This declaration, which includes support from 86% of participating members, argues that Israel's actions throughout the 22-month-long conflict meet the legal definitions outlined in the UN Convention on Genocide.The IAGS, encompassing over 500 experts including Holocaust scholars, cites a series of Israeli attacks on essential sectors within Gaza as evidence of this genocide.
These sectors include healthcare, aid, and education, all of which have been subject to widespread assaults.
The resolution specifically notes that approximately 50,000 children in Gaza have been killed or injured by Israel according to UN aid organization Unicef, significantly impacting the survival and regeneration capacity of Palestinians.The resolution also highlights Israeli leaders' support for the forced expulsion of all Palestinians from Gaza and Israel's near-complete demolition of housing within the territory.
Furthermore, it criticizes Israeli leaders for dehumanizing rhetoric towards Palestinians in Gaza, including threats to 'flatten Gaza' and turn it into 'hell'.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has responded by calling the resolution an 'embarrassment to the legal profession,' suggesting that it was based on 'Hamas lies' and poor research.
Additionally, they claim that Israel is itself a victim of genocide.While acknowledging Hamas's October 2023 attack as a crime resulting in over 1,200 deaths and the taking of hostages, the IAGS scholars argue that Israel's response has targeted not just Hamas but Gaza's entire population.
The UN Genocide Convention defines genocide as crimes committed 'with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, religious or racial group.' Several leading rights organizations, including two Israeli groups, have also concluded that Israel is committing genocide.While the UN and some Western nations acknowledge these concerns, they emphasize that any authoritative ruling on this matter must come from a court.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently considering a case brought by South Africa in 2023 arguing that Israel is committing genocide.
However, no determination has been made yet, with Israel having until January 2026 to present its defense.In response to the ongoing conflict, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health reports that over 63,557 people have been killed and 160,660 injured as of now.
Though widely considered reliable, these numbers do not differentiate between civilians and fighters.
Furthermore, the UN-backed IPC has confirmed that famine is occurring in parts of Gaza, blaming Israeli restrictions on food and medical aid for this humanitarian crisis.
As Israel controls all border crossings into Gaza and is the occupying power, it holds legal responsibility under international law to prevent starvation.
