Amnesty International’s research has found sufficient basis to conclude that Israel has committed and is continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, the organisation said in a landmark new report published on 5 December.
Overview of the Report
The report, titled “You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza“, documents how, during its military offensive launched in the wake of the deadly Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, Israel has unleashed hell and destruction on Palestinians in Gaza brazenly, continuously and with total impunity.
Call for International Action
“Our damning findings must serve as a wake-up call to the international community: this is genocide. It must stop now." - Agnès Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International.
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. All states with influence over Israel, particularly key arms suppliers like the USA and Germany, but also other EU member states, the UK and others, must act now to bring Israel’s atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza to an immediate end.
Unprecedented Scale and Magnitude of Destruction
Israel’s actions have brought Gaza’s population to the brink of collapse. Its brutal military offensive had killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, including over 13,300 children, and injured over 97,000 more by 7 October 2024, many of them in direct or deliberately indiscriminate attacks, often wiping out entire multigenerational families.
The destruction caused by Israel has been unprecedented in speed and magnitude, levelling entire cities and destroying critical infrastructure, agricultural land, and cultural and religious sites.
Impact on Civilians
Mohammed, a displaced Palestinian, described the horrifying conditions in Gaza: “Here in Deir al-Balah, it’s like an apocalypse… You feel like you are subhuman here.”
Intent to Destroy
Amnesty International’s report establishes Israel’s specific intent to physically destroy Palestinians in Gaza. This intent is evident through a pattern of conduct, dehumanising statements by Israeli officials, and the context of Israel’s system of apartheid and military occupation.
Accountability
The international community must take strong and sustained action to end the genocide in Gaza. States need to move beyond expressions of regret and press for justice. The International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Israeli leaders offer hope for accountability.
Amnesty International, Israel, Palestine, Genocide, Gaza, Human Rights
