Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, a United Nations inquiry has concluded.
The UN commission of inquiry found that there are reasonable grounds to find that the state has engaged in four of the five genocidal acts as defined under international law since the beginning of its war with Hamas in 2023.
These are: killing members of a group, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to destroy the group and preventing births.
Israeli leaders have also shown a clear evidence of genocidal intent through their statements on Gaza and the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the report said.
The inquiry said: “The Commission concludes that the Israeli authorities and Israeli security forces have the genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
Israel has denied the report’s claims, calling it “scandalous” and a “libellous rant”.
It comes amid a fresh assault by the IDF on Gaza City, which Israel plans to take full control of despite international condemnation.
Israel’s defence minister said “Gaza is burning” after heavy bombardment on the devastated territory was reported.
IDF officials have confirmed this morning that its forces have launched a ground offensive to take control of the city.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the state had launched a “significant operation in Gaza” during testimony in court during a corruption trial today.
Israel has already ordered hundreds of thousands of residents to flee the area.
At least five Palestinians were killed in an air strike on Gaza City overnight, including two children.
Navi Pillay, chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said: “We’ve identified the president [Isaac Herzog], the Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and the former minister of defence [Yoav Gallant] based on their statements and the orders that they’ve given.
“Because these three individuals were agents of the state, under the law, the state is held responsible. So we say it’s [the] state of Israel that has committed genocide
Hamas say its leadership survived Israel airstrike but six people killed
Olivia Colman among 1,300 refusing to work with firms ‘implicated in genocide’
Call on workers to refuse to use Israeli goods at pro-Palestine rally in Belfast
Met Police spends £10m on Palestine Action protests and other events in just one month
Hugh Bonneville interrupts Downton Abbey interview with plea on 'indefensible' situation in Gaza
