Gaza – Basil Ja‘arour
In July 2025, two Israeli organizations—B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHRI)—simultaneously issued reports holding the Israeli occupation directly responsible for committing a “genocide” against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
B’Tselem published the first report, titled “Our Eradication”, relying on political, legal, and contextual analysis. The second report, by PHRI, provided a medico-legal analysis documenting the dismantling of Gaza’s health system as a tool of genocide.
The release of both reports triggered intense debate, not only because of the accusations of genocide against the occupation, but because these claims came from Israeli institutions and civil society organizations. This indicates that the narrative was not driven by political or ideological opposition, but by internal analysis of decisions, policies, and field outcomes.
Methodology of the Reports:
B’Tselem and PHRI relied on precise methodological procedures, including:
- Analysis of official Israeli discourse since 7 October 2023.
- Review of military and political decisions.
- Monitoring patterns of field targeting.
- Testimonies from inside Gaza, including doctors and paramedics, both detained and survivors.
- Medical and psychological assessment of the impact on civilians.
- Legal classification of crimes according to the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
From Control to Eradication: Shift in Military Doctrine
B’Tselem’s report observes that after 7 October, the Israeli occupation shifted from a policy of “deterrence and control” to one of “total destruction.”
The report emphasizes that this shift was not arbitrary but stemmed from clear political decisions and public statements by government and military officials calling to “wipe out Gaza,” “cut off its means of life,” and “reshape the Strip.”
Yuli Novak, B’Tselem’s Executive Director, states:
“Since October 7, 2023, we have witnessed a shift from occupation to eradication.”
The report notes that this transformation is a central indicator of genocide, as it targets an entire society physically, psychologically, and culturally, rather than solely military opponents.
Definition of Genocide
According to Article 2 of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948):
“Genocide means any act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, by killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about its physical destruction, imposing measures to prevent births, or forcibly transferring children to another group.”
International law further classifies genocide into the following acts:
- (a) Killing members of the group.
- (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm.
- (c) Deliberately inflicting living conditions intended to destroy the group wholly or partially.
- (d) Imposing measures to prevent births within the group.
- (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another.
According to the joint B’Tselem and PHRI report, three of these elements apply to Gaza:
1. Systematic Mass Killing:
Evidence includes:
- Over 58,000 fatalities since the start of the war, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health data used in the reports.
- 29% of the victims are children—over 16,820 minors.
- Targeting patterns include residential neighborhoods, schools, shelters, and hospitals.
- Field testimonies confirm strikes on areas without any military targets.
“The targeting was not against fighters but civilians in their homes, schools, and hospitals,” —B’Tselem report.
2. Causing Serious Bodily and Psychological Harm:
The reports indicate deliberate infliction of physical and psychological harm through:
- Leaving thousands of wounded without treatment due to targeting the health system.
- PHRI documents that half of Gaza’s children suffer severe psychological disorders, including panic attacks, nightmares, and behavioral breakdowns.
- Women endure the loss of husbands and children, forced into caregiver roles without psychological or social support.
- Testimony of a doctor at Al-Shifa Hospital:
“We receive children who cannot speak or move; they just stare at the ceiling. This is not medicine; this is documenting the collapse of childhood.”
3. Imposing Deadly Living Conditions:
The reports document the occupation imposing lethal conditions to suffocate life in Gaza through:
- Complete siege on food, water, and medicine, targeting infrastructure, leading to a total collapse of living conditions.
- B’Tselem describes these policies as “intentional and systematic,” not incidental to war.
- PHRI reports that 92% of Gaza’s population suffers severe food insecurity, with 127 documented deaths from starvation, including 85 children.
B’Tselem concludes that Israeli policies—from killing to starvation, dismantling the health system, and preventing evacuations—constitute a “complete structure for genocide”, opening the door for international legal accountability:
“Intent is a core element in defining genocide. It does not need to be explicitly declared but can be inferred from patterns of actions, continuity, and expected outcomes” —B’Tselem, p.17
“This is not collateral damage from war; it is a deliberate policy to harm the Palestinian population as a group” —PHRI report.
Killing as Policy and Doctrine: When Numbers Become Forensic Evidence
Since the start of the war in October 2023, the joint report documented a recurring targeting pattern that cannot be explained as “collateral damage.”
As of July 2025, approximately 58,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Ministry of Health data used by both organizations.
Examining the demographic and typological distribution of the victims reveals a systematic pattern:
| Target group | Approximate number | Percentage of total victims |
| children | 16,820 | 29% |
| women | 8,700 | 15% |
| the elderly | 4,060 | 7% |
| civilian men | 28,420 | 49% |
| Total | 58,000 | 100% |
Based on the evident pattern in the age and gender distribution of the victims, the B’Tselem report states:
“The targeting was not directed at fighters, but at civilians—in their homes, schools, and hospitals.”
Targeting Civil Infrastructure
The joint report by B’Tselem and PHRI reinforces the conclusion that the Israeli occupation relies on a policy of killing, documenting its targeting of civilian infrastructure in Gaza as follows:
- 33 hospitals and health centers were bombed, some repeatedly, leading to the complete collapse of the healthcare system.
- Water and electricity networks were destroyed, making daily life impossible.
- Shelters and schools converted into refugee shelters were directly bombed.
A paramedic from northern Gaza testified:
“We transported bodies from a school that housed displaced people. There were no armed fighters—just children sleeping on the floor.”
Destruction of Entire Neighborhoods
Further evidence of a deliberate policy of killing is documented in the reports, showing practices aimed at the total destruction of neighborhoods:
- The reports document entire neighborhoods being flattened, such as “Al-Zaytoun” and “Al-Shujaiya,” without any clear military justification.
- The use of heavy explosives in residential areas buried dozens of families under rubble, with no possibility of recovering the bodies.
- Satellite imagery cited by B’Tselem shows complete urban erasure in civilian areas.
These findings indicate that the killings were not the result of combat but part of a systematic policy aimed at physically dismantling Palestinian society, reinforcing its classification as genocide under international law.
“The mass killing of civilians, especially children and women, in the absence of any military necessity, constitutes one of the gravest forms of genocide.” – PHRI report
Deliberate Starvation: From Blockade to Slow Killing
According to B’Tselem, the Israeli occupation “uses food as a weapon” by preventing humanitarian aid, targeting the food infrastructure, and creating lethal living conditions.
The report describes this as “systematic starvation,” based on field data, testimonies from inside Gaza, and official Israeli statements confirming full control over aid flow.
PHRI provides a medico-legal analysis showing that:
- 92% of Gaza’s population suffers from severe food insecurity.
- One-third of the population went without food for consecutive days.
- 80% of deaths from hunger are children.
- At least 12 deaths due to starvation have been documented, including 85 children—half of them within just one month.
A pediatrician at Nasser Hospital stated:
“We receive children weighing less than half the normal weight. No milk, no water, no electricity to run incubators. This is not medicine—it is slow death.”
The report also documents systematic targeting of the food infrastructure, including:
- Food storage facilities and bakeries.
- Relief trucks and field kitchens.
- Aid distribution centers.
- Water and electricity networks essential for storing and preparing food.
It notes that images of children suffering from severe malnutrition, which circulated worldwide, are not exceptions but direct results of the policy of starvation.
According to Article 54 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions (1977):
“Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited, as is attacking, destroying, removing, or rendering unusable objects necessary for civilian survival, such as food, crops, and water.”
B’Tselem emphasizes:
“Imposing lethal living conditions, including the denial of food and water, constitutes a key element of the crime of genocide.”
These policies, as outlined in the two reports, constitute blatant violations of international humanitarian law and represent a premeditated tool of genocide.
Dismantling the Healthcare System: When Treatment Becomes a Military Target
PHRI’s medico-legal report documents what it describes as the “systematic dismantling of Gaza’s healthcare system,” not as a side effect of war but as a deliberate policy to deprive civilians of basic survival conditions.
According to the report, Israel systematically dismantled Gaza’s health system through:
- Comprehensive attacks on health infrastructure:
- Since October 2023, 33 of 36 hospitals and clinics in Gaza were directly attacked, besieged, or forcibly closed.
- Over 1,800 medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics, were killed or arrested.
- Vital medical equipment, including imaging devices, ICU units, and medication storage, was destroyed.
PHRI confirms:
“This is not collateral damage from war; it is a deliberate policy aimed at harming the Palestinian population as a group.”
A doctor at Al-Shifa Hospital said:
“We no longer have imaging machines, medications, or electricity. Patients die before our eyes, and we are powerless to help.”
- Preventing medical evacuation and aid:
- Border crossings were nearly entirely closed, preventing thousands of patients from accessing treatment outside Gaza.
- Medical aid was stopped or obstructed, including the fuel needed to operate hospitals.
- Critical cases, such as cancer and kidney failure, were left untreated, leading to preventable deaths.
“Even if military operations stopped today, the destruction of the healthcare system will continue causing deaths for years.” – PHRI report
Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) states:
“Civilian hospitals used for the treatment of the wounded, sick, and maternity cases must be respected and protected at all times, unless used for hostile acts.”
Article 12 of the First Additional Protocol (1977) adds:
“Medical units must not be targeted, nor used for purposes contrary to their humanitarian function.”
Irreversible Collapse
The report classifies the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system as “irreversible,” based on indicators such as:
- No MRI machines in Gaza for months.
- Thousands of patients dying from treatable chronic illnesses.
- Children dying from dehydration, infections, and malnutrition, with no possibility of rescue.
Gai Shaliv, director of PHRI, said:
“The destruction of healthcare alone meets the genocide threshold under Article 2(c) of the UN Convention.”
Psychological Impact: A Generation Living in Permanent Emergency
Genocide is measured not only by death tolls but also by long-term psychological and social destruction.
The joint report emphasizes that the attacks on Gaza dismantle society from within, turning childhood into a constant battlefield.
PHRI reports:
- 50% of Gaza’s children suffer severe psychological disorders, including panic attacks, chronic nightmares, and behavioral disturbances.
- More than 10,000 children lost one or both parents, leading to family disintegration and deprivation of basic care.
- 92% of children aged 6 months to 2 years are undernourished, exacerbating psychological impact through hunger and physical deprivation.
A psychologist at a temporary relief center testified:
“A child who lost their parents does not cry. They do not speak. They just stare at the ground. This is not sadness—it is existential collapse.”
Women: Loss and Forced Caregiving
The joint report highlights the devastating effects on women in Gaza, including:
- Thousands lost their husbands and children, becoming heads of families with no shelter or income.
- Women suffer from psychological disorders related to loss, violence, and insecurity, without any social or mental health support.
- Miscarriages, premature births, and psychological collapse among pregnant women increased significantly.
Social Disintegration as a Tool of Genocide
B’Tselem reports that the genocide in Gaza targets not only individuals but the Palestinian social fabric, based on:
- Bombing of schools, depriving over 500,000 children of education.
- Family disintegration due to displacement, killings, and arrests.
- Direct targeting of civil society, weakening organizational structures, from unions to associations.
These findings indicate that genocide in Gaza involves dismantling identity and social cohesion, violating the right to a dignified life and international protections for civilians in armed conflict.
“Genocide is not only carried out through killing, but also through destroying conditions for social and psychological life, making recovery impossible even after hostilities end.” – B’Tselem
West Bank: The Silent Expansion of the Genocide Model
Although Gaza receives the most attention, B’Tselem and PHRI warn that the “model of genocide” is expanding to the West Bank, albeit less visibly.
The report notes:
- Since October 7, 2023, at least 1,000 Palestinians, including dozens of children, were killed in the West Bank.
- Over 40,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from areas such as Jenin and Tulkarm due to military operations and night raids.
- Killings included civilians in their homes and camps, not just combatants.
“What is happening in the West Bank is not merely a security escalation but part of a recurring pattern of displacement and ethnic cleansing.” – B’Tselem
Destruction of Civil and Social Infrastructure
B’Tselem notes that military activity in the West Bank aims deliberately at dismantling civil and social structures through:
- Demolition of homes, schools, and health centers across multiple areas.
- Restrictions on movement, military checkpoints, and control of resources, disrupting daily life.
- These policies employ the same military and political tools used in Gaza, under the same leadership.
Yuli Novak, B’Tselem Executive Director, warned:
“The model applied in Gaza is now being implemented in the West Bank. It is no longer mere occupation but a system of gradual extermination.”
The report cautions that any new escalation could be used as a pretext to expand genocide into the West Bank, especially given the absence of international or domestic accountability.
Legal and Political Connection
B’Tselem links Gaza and the West Bank as manifestations of a single political doctrine aimed at dismantling Palestinian society and reshaping geography and demographics to serve total control.
“Differences in methods do not indicate differences in intent. What is happening in the West Bank is a natural extension of Gaza and must be treated with the same legal and rights-based seriousness.”
From Documentation to Accountability
In a world where the term “genocide” is used cautiously, its issuance by internal Israeli organizations constitutes a decisive legal and ethical turning point.
The joint B’Tselem–PHRI report provides a rigorous legal analysis showing that the events in Gaza meet at least three of the five elements defining genocide under the 1948 UN Convention:
- Mass killing of civilians.
- Causing serious physical and psychological harm.
- Imposing living conditions intended to destroy the group in whole or in part.
Political Intent: From Statements to Policy
The reports cite public statements by Israeli political and military officials calling to “erase Gaza,” “destroy Palestinian society,” and “reshape the Strip,” demonstrating explicit intent—an essential element in defining genocide.
“Intent is measured not only by statements but by the pattern, continuity, and expected outcomes of actions.” – B’Tselem
These policies were not enacted in a moment of anger but continued over 22 months despite international condemnation, demonstrating a deliberate determination to continue destruction.
Importance for International Forums
According to Yuli Novak:
“The report is not merely a rights document; it is a legal call for accountability. We have put the truth on the table, and now the world must act.”
The report serves as a legal reference for:
- The International Court of Justice (ICJ), e.g., South Africa’s case against Israel.
- The International Criminal Court (ICC) in ongoing investigations of crimes in Palestinian territories.
- UN bodies such as the Human Rights Council and General Assembly.
Call to the International Community
The organizations hold the international community responsible in two ways:
- Legally, to stop the genocide.
- Morally, not to be complicit through silence or military support.
They emphasize:
“Continuing political and military support for the occupation, despite the evidence, constitutes legal complicity in genocide. Preventing genocide is not only a moral duty but an international legal obligation. Anyone who participates or remains silent bears part of the responsibility.” – PHRI