The world's largest association of genocide scholars has declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. A resolution adopted by the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) says that Israel's actions meet the legal definition of genocide under the UN Genocide Convention.
In the three-page document, the IAGS lists a series of Israeli actions during the 22-month war that experts consider genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The resolution includes attacks on personnel and vital infrastructure, including health, humanitarian aid and education. The organization also highlights the death or injury of 50,000 children by Israel, according to UNICEF, affecting the ability of Palestinians to survive as a group and reproduce.
The experts also cite Israeli leaders' support for the forced expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and the near-total destruction of homes in the territory. The statement notes that Israeli leaders have described Palestinians as enemies and have vowed to "destroy Gaza" and turn it into "hell."
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has rejected the report, saying it is based on “Hamas lies” and poor research, calling it a “disgrace to the legal profession.” Israel has consistently denied that its actions constitute genocide and justifies them as self-defense.
IAGS experts emphasize that the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage, was a crime, but Israel's response was not only against Hamas, but also hit the entire population of Gaza. The 1948 UN Genocide Convention defines genocide as crimes committed "with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group."
Numerous human rights organizations, including two Israeli ones, have also stated that they believe Israel is committing genocide.
The International Court of Justice is considering a case filed by South Africa in 2023 alleging that Israel is committing genocide. The court has given Israel until January 2026 to present its defense. Israel has accused the case of being anti-Semitic.
The Hamas Health Ministry has reported that 63,557 people have been killed and 160,660 wounded during the war. The numbers are considered reliable, but they do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The UN-backed food monitor has confirmed that famine is occurring in parts of Gaza, which Israel accuses of being caused by restrictions on food and medical aid entering the territory.
Israel controls all border crossings into the Gaza Strip and, as the occupying power, bears responsibility for protecting civilian lives under international law, including preventing starvation.
