In a historic and damning verdict, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry has concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, marking the first time a UN body has reached such a determination.
The two-year investigation, released on September 16, 2025, accuses Israel of orchestrating a “genocidal campaign” since October 2023, flagrantly violating international law and carrying out atrocities against the Palestinian population.
The 72-page report finds that Israel has committed four of the five genocidal acts outlined in the 1948 Genocide Convention. These include mass killings, causing serious bodily and mental harm, inflicting conditions designed to bring about physical destruction, and measures aimed at preventing births. Only the forcible transfer of children was not conclusively attributed.
“The responsibility for these atrocity crimes lies with Israeli authorities at the highest echelons,” said Navi Pillay, chair of the Commission and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. “The intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza is clear. This genocide has been orchestrated and sustained for almost two years.”
What did the UN Panel find about systematic destruction?
The Commission’s conclusions draw on over 16,000 pieces of evidence, including satellite imagery, witness testimonies, and official statements. The report cites the killing of more than 64,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, the displacement of nearly two million people, the collapse of the healthcare system, deliberate starvation, and the destruction of homes and cultural heritage sites.
Particularly striking was the December 2023 bombing of Gaza’s Al Basma IVF Centre, which destroyed thousands of embryos and fertility samples, an act the Commission linked to the Genocide Convention’s provision on preventing births. The report also documented torture, sexual violence, and environmental destruction.
Pillay warned that UN member states face legal consequences if they fail to act, stressing that genocide prevention is a binding obligation under international law. “The ongoing genocide is both a moral and legal emergency. States cannot wait for the International Court of Justice to make a final ruling, which could take a decade,” she said.
Why did Israel reject the UN report, amid strong global reactions?
The Israeli foreign ministry immediately dismissed the findings, branding the report “antisemitic, distorted, and false.” It argued that Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which killed nearly 1,200 Israelis, was itself an act of “attempted genocide.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously denied genocide allegations, stating last year: “If we had wanted to commit genocide, it would have taken exactly one afternoon.”
Commission member Chris Sidoti, an Australian human rights lawyer, dismissed Israeli criticism, quipping that the government’s denials were so formulaic “it is almost as if they are being produced by ChatGPT.”
The release of the UN report coincides with US President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK, where Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to raise the issue.
The latter’s office confirmed the report will be a subject of discussion. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey urged Starmer to press Trump to act, while former shadow chancellor John McDonnell demanded sanctions on Israel, an arms embargo, and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.
Why is the West hesitant, and what are the legal implications?
Despite mounting evidence, many Western governments, including the UK, a supplier of arms components to Israel, maintain that only international courts can rule on genocide.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy recently told parliament that while the civilian toll in Gaza is “utterly appalling,” the government has not concluded that Israel is acting with genocidal intent.
Pillay, however, rebuked such caution: “How will states prevent genocide if they all sit and wait for a court ruling that may come too late?”
The UN Commission urged Israel to halt its military campaign immediately, allow unrestricted humanitarian aid into Gaza, and comply with provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice. It also called on states worldwide to suspend arms transfers to Israel and use all means reasonably available to prevent further atrocities.