Israel has been accused of committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza by one of the world’s leading human rights organizations, urging the UK government to halt all arms sales following the October 7 attacks of 2023, which killed 1,180 Israelis, including 797 civilians. The nation launched a massive military offensive on the occupied Gaza strip.
More than 43,000 people have been killed in the enclave, with many more believed to be buried under the rubble. The United Nations estimates around 70% of the casualties are children. South Africa has brought a charge of genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which has issued provisional measures as a ruling is not expected for several years.
An order for Israel to halt its offensive on the southern city of Rafah was not complied with. The International Criminal Court has also issued warrants for the arrests of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, who stand accused of war crimes.
Amnesty International, one of the world’s leading human rights organizations, has produced a 296-page report, finding “sufficient basis to conclude that Israel has committed – and is continuing to commit – genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip”. The report covers a period from October 7, 2023, to July last year, featuring interviews with 212 people, including Palestinian victims and witnesses, local authorities in Gaza, and healthcare workers.
Amnesty says it shared its findings with the Israeli authorities and received “no substantive response.” The organization is calling for all civilian hostages to be released unconditionally and for Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups responsible for the crimes committed on October 7 to be held accountable.
The crimes perpetrated by Hamas and other armed groups during the attack will be the focus of a forthcoming Amnesty report. Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said, “Amnesty International’s report demonstrates that Israel has carried out acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.”
She continued, “Our damning findings must serve as a wake-up call to the international community: this is genocide. It must stop now. States that continue to transfer arms to Israel at this time must know they are violating their obligation to prevent genocide and are at risk of becoming complicit in genocide.”
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s Chief Executive, emphasized, “The UK must take urgent steps to make clear to Israel that this country does not support genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza, and those acts must end immediately.”
As a state party to the Genocide Convention, the UK has a legal obligation to use all reasonable means to help prevent genocide. The UK government must work with other countries by all diplomatic and legal means to press Israel into fully implementing the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice. The UK should also press for multilateral targeted sanctions at the UN Security Council against Israeli and Hamas officials most implicated in crimes under international law.
The UK must act to ensure justice and accountability, supporting the ongoing International Criminal Court investigation into Palestine and executing any ICC arrest warrants.