Over the past two decades, the wars on the Gaza Strip have been relentless since the Israeli occupation imposed a blockade on Gaza in October 2007. Following this, a series of wars were launched against the strip, with the most significant ones in 2007, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2021, and 2022.
However, the current and ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza has been the longest and most brutal, and has been described by human rights organizations, international bodies, and experts in international law as genocide. In contrast, Israeli officials, along with experts and international leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, have denied the occurrence of genocide. The accusation of genocide in Gaza has become a topic of debate in international media and among legal experts, as can be seen in “Piers Morgan Uncensored” TV program hosted by British broadcaster Piers Morgan.
On the International Day of Remembrance and Honor for the Victims of Genocide and the Prevention of Genocide, on 9th December, Kashif breaks down the current situation in Gaza and the definition of genocide in international law.
First: 430 Days Later, How is the Situation in Gaza?
According to the latest update from the Palestinian Ministry of Health on 30/11/2024, 44,382 people have been killed, 105,200 have been injured, and around 10,000 are missing.
- 1.6 million people are living in temporary shelters, about half a million of whom are in flood-prone areas. A total of 211 shelters have been targeted.
- Approximately 85% of Gaza’s population, around 1.93 million people, has been forcibly displaced.
- 1,410 Palestinian families have been erased from the civil register, with both parents and all family members killed, totaling 5,444.
- 480 schools and universities have been completely or partially destroyed, depriving 785,000 students of their education.
- 353,500 housing units have been partially or entirely destroyed, with 83,000 units rendered uninhabitable.
- Hospitals: Only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are operational, all working at reduced capacity and facing severe shortages.
Second: What Does “Genocide” Mean?
Genocide, according to Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, refers to any of the following acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group:
- Killing members of the group;
- Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
- Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life intended to destroy it physically, in whole or in part;
- Imposing measures to prevent births within the group;
- Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Not only is the act of genocide punishable, but other acts such as conspiring to commit genocide, inciting genocide, attempting genocide, and complicity in genocide are also punishable.
Third: The Intent of Genocide
Both “Visualizing Palestine” and “Law for Palestine” launched a database containing 422 entries regarding the intent of genocide, as cited by Israeli officials, including military personnel, decision-makers, and public figures. Examples include statements such as those by former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on 9/10/2023, where he said: “I have ordered a complete siege of Gaza, there will be no electricity, food, or fuel, everything is closed. We are fighting human animals and acting accordingly.”
Other notable quotes include:
- Former War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz, on 29/11/2023, stated, “The fight will continue and extend to any necessary part of Gaza. There will be no safe cities.”
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on 24/12/2024, said, “We are facing monsters who kill children in front of their parents… this is not just Israel against these barbarians, it is a battle of civilization against barbarism.”
- Israeli journalist Shimon Riklin, on 7/10/2023, remarked, “Gaza must be wiped off the face of the Earth.”
Additionally, former Knesset member Moshe Feiglin stated on 16/1/2024, “As Hitler said, I cannot live if one Jew remains, and we cannot live here if one ‘Islamic Nazi’ remains in Gaza. Jews are not guests in our land, it is entirely ours.” He added, “Turn Gaza into a Hebrew city.”
Former Kedumim Mayor and settlement leader Daniella Weiss declared on 22/9/2024, “The goal of settlement activities is to approach Gaza as closely as possible, to fully view Gaza, and understand that from now on, Gaza will be entirely Jewish.”
Fourth: South Africa Accuses Israel of Committing Genocide
On 29/12/2023, South Africa filed a lawsuit in the International Court of Justice against Israel, accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza. According to a report released by the United Nations on 30/10/2024, 14 countries, including Spain, Belgium, and Ireland, announced their intent to intervene in South Africa’s case before the court.
Meanwhile, Germany announced on12/1/2024, that it would intervene in support of Israel, stating that it “strongly and categorically rejects the allegations of genocide against Israel before the International Court of Justice. This accusation is baseless.”
Fifth: Statements Accusing Israel of Genocide
In a report released by Amnesty International on 5/12/2024, titled “Do You Feel Like You’re Not Human? The Genocide Committed by Israel Against Palestinians in Gaza,” the organization confirmed that “its research found substantial evidence proving that Israel has committed, and continues to commit, genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
Agnès Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, stated: “Amnesty’s report clearly shows that Israel has committed acts prohibited by the Genocide Convention, with the specific and deliberate intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza. These acts include killing Palestinians, inflicting physical or psychological harm, and deliberately subjecting them to living conditions designed to destroy them physically. Over months, Israel has treated Palestinians as subhumans, denying them human rights and dignity, clearly intending their physical destruction.”
Callamard added: “Our conclusive findings should serve as a wake-up call to the international community: this is genocide, and it must stop now.”
Independent UN expert Francesca Albanese described the situation in Gaza as “genocide,” noting that it represents a “declared tragedy that could extend to other Palestinians under Israeli rule. The pursuit of the goal of a ‘Greater Israel’ threatens to erase the indigenous Palestinian population.”
Albanese called for the official recognition of Israel as an “apartheid state” engaging in persistent violations of international law.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva insisted in February 2024 that Israel was committing “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza, stating, “What Israel is doing is not a war, it is genocide, because it is killing women and children.”
Pope Francis in November 2024 mentioned that some international experts believe “what is happening in Gaza has characteristics of genocide,” adding, “We need to investigate carefully to assess whether this aligns with the legal definition of ‘genocide’ as outlined by legal experts and international organizations.”
Former Israeli occupation Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon stated in December 2024 that the Israeli army is carrying out “ethnic cleansing” and “forcibly displacing Palestinians” from Gaza.
Human Rights Watch, in a report issued in November 2024, stated that the Israeli authorities have caused the mass and deliberate forced displacement of Palestinian civilians in Gaza since October 2023, and are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In a report issued by the United Nations Special Committee, it was stated that the ongoing war in Gaza “aligns with the characteristics of genocide,” adding that “Israel is deliberately causing death, starvation, and severe injury, using hunger as a method of warfare, and imposing collective punishment on the Palestinian population.”
Sixth: Statements Denying Genocide
Among the official figures denying genocide in Gaza was British Foreign Minister David Lammy, who in October 2024 argued that terms like genocide “have been used widely when millions of lives were lost in crises like Rwanda, World War II, and the Holocaust, and how they are being used now undermines the seriousness of the term.”
This came after a session in the British Parliament in which opposition Conservative MP Nick Timothy urged Lammy to clarify that “no genocide is happening in the Middle East,” adding that terms like “genocide” regarding Gaza were “inappropriate and repeated by protesters and lawbreakers.”
In November 2024, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer rejected the description of events in Gaza as genocide, stating in the House of Commons: “I am fully aware of the definition of genocide, which is why I have not described the situation in Gaza as genocide.”
In May 2024, Israel’s Deputy Attorney General for International Law, Gilad Noam, stated that the picture presented by South Africa at the International Court of Justice regarding the situation in Gaza was “completely detached from the facts.” He added that the war in the Gaza Strip, “like all wars, is tragic and horrific for both Israelis and Palestinians, and it has imposed a heavy humanitarian toll, but it is not genocide.”
In May 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden stated during the “American Jewish Heritage Month” event at the White House, “What is happening in Gaza is not genocide. We reject that.”
In October 2024, German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer denied any signs of genocide being committed by the occupying state in Gaza, emphasizing that Germany’s position of support for Israel and commitment to its security had not changed.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, in October 2024, stated that the right to self-defense “does not mean attacking terrorists but destroying them.” She added, “When Hamas members hide among people and behind schools, civilian areas lose their protected status because the terrorists are violating it,” as she put it.
Seventh: Digital Genocide
The ongoing genocide by Israel against the people of Gaza since 7/10/2023, coincided with systematic digital violations and attacks against Palestinians in the digital space, referred to by the Sada Social Center as “Digital Genocide.” According to a report that monitored these violations from 7/10/2023, to 7/11/2024:
- Over 23,000 digital violations were recorded against Palestinian content, with over 700 Palestinian WhatsApp numbers blocked.
- 29% of the violations targeted journalists and media organizations.
- Over 80,000 Israeli inciting posts were documented on social media platforms, including calls for genocide and justifications for violence and mass killings against Palestinians.
