DaysofPal – A new report presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council concludes that Israeli actions against Palestinians since October 7, 2023, amount to genocide under international law. The findings were delivered by the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 during the council’s 61st session.
The report argues that a wide range of Israeli policies and practices have inflicted severe physical and psychological harm on Palestinians. It states that these actions fall within the framework of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Titled “Torture and Genocide,” the report documents the systematic use of torture in both detention and non-detention settings. It says such practices form part of a broader pattern that includes mass killings, forced displacement, destruction of livelihoods, and deprivation of essential needs.
The report indicates that Israel’s detention system has deteriorated into a structure built on humiliation, coercion, and systematic intimidation. The goal, it argues, is to strip Palestinians of their freedom, dignity, and identity. The findings emphasize that these acts cannot be viewed as isolated misconduct but reflect institutional behavior supported by political authorities.
The report also highlights the deliberate destruction of conditions necessary for life. It points to attacks on homes and civilian infrastructure, along with restrictions that deny Palestinians access to medical care and adequate food. Such actions, the report states, constitute serious physical and mental harm that falls under Article II of the Genocide Convention.
The Special Rapporteur urged the government of Israel to immediately halt all acts of torture and ill-treatment in detention facilities and elsewhere. The report also calls for dismantling what it describes as an apartheid system and ending Israel’s unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territories, while ensuring accountability, reparations for victims, and guarantees that such violations will not recur.
It further recommends granting access to detention facilities for the International Committee of the Red Cross, UN investigative bodies, and independent experts so they can examine alleged abuses.
The report calls on member states to avoid complicity in the alleged crimes and to take steps aimed at preventing further violations while pursuing accountability for those responsible.
In addition, it urges the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged crimes of genocide, torture, and abuse. The document also encourages consideration of arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, along with military and security figures linked to the alleged violations.
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