UN accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, calls for global accountability

In the face of overwhelming evidence, the committee’s call for accountability is a crucial step in addressing one of the most pressing humanitarian crises of our time

Muslim Network TV

NEW YORK (MNTV) – A new report by the United Nations Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, citing mass civilian casualties, deprivation of essential resources, and the destruction of vital infrastructure.

The report, released on Thursday, underscores the devastating impact of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and raises serious concerns over violations of international law and the escalating humanitarian crisis in the region.

The Special Committee, established by the UN General Assembly comprises representatives from three member states: Malaysia, Senegal, and Sri Lanka.

The committee was represented by Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the UN in New York Ahmad Faisal Muhamad, Permanent Representative of Senegal Cheikh Niang, and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka Peter Mohan Maithri Pieris, who also chaired the committee.

Findings of the Report

The report, covering the period from October 2023 to July 2024, examines developments across the occupied Palestinian territory and the occupied Syrian Golan, with a particular focus on the catastrophic impact of the current war in Gaza on the rights of Palestinians.

The committee asserts that Israel’s military actions are “consistent with the characteristics of genocide,” citing mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians.

The committee highlights that Israeli officials have publicly endorsed policies that strip Palestinians of essential resources required for survival, including food, water, and fuel.

These actions, coupled with the systematic and unlawful interference with humanitarian aid, underscore Israel’s apparent intent to instrumentalize life-saving supplies for political and military purposes.

The report documents how Israel’s extensive bombing campaigns have decimated essential services and unleashed an environmental catastrophe with lasting health impacts.

By early 2024, over 25,000 tons of explosives—equivalent to two nuclear bombs—had been dropped on Gaza, causing massive destruction and the collapse of water and sanitation systems, agricultural devastation, and toxic pollution.

The committee warns that these actions have created a lethal crisis with far-reaching implications for public health and the environment in Gaza.

The committee raises serious concerns about Israel’s use of AI-assisted targeting systems in directing its military operations.

The report states that Israel’s military has relied on AI-enhanced systems with minimal human oversight, leading to an overwhelming number of civilian casualties, particularly among women and children.

The committee condemns Israel’s failure to adhere to its obligations under international law to distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, with catastrophic consequences for innocent lives.

Starvation and media censorship

A key focus of the report is Israel’s use of starvation as a method of warfare. The committee details how Israeli officials have publicly endorsed policies that deprive Palestinians of essential resources necessary for survival.

The blocking of food, water, and fuel supplies has led to widespread hunger and suffering in Gaza. The report describes this as a deliberate and systematic effort to strip Palestinians of their basic means of survival, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis.

The report also criticizes Israel’s escalating media censorship and its systematic suppression of dissent.

It points to attacks on journalists, the targeting of humanitarian workers, and the blocking of information about the situation in Gaza as part of a broader strategy to control the narrative and prevent global awareness of the situation.

The committee condemns Israel’s efforts to prevent international journalists and humanitarian organizations from accessing Gaza, which it says is an attempt to silence reporting on the crisis and to undermine the work of the United Nations.

Calls for global accountability

The UN Special Committee has called for all UN member states to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law.

It urges the international community to step in and prevent further escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The committee stresses that Israel’s actions are not just a violation of Palestinian rights but also an assault on the international legal order.

“It is the collective responsibility of every State to stop supporting the assault on Gaza and the apartheid system in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” the committee states. It further emphasizes that failing to hold Israel accountable will weaken the international legal system and set a dangerous precedent, allowing atrocities to go unchecked.

The report also stresses that accountability must extend beyond the Israeli military to senior Israeli government officials who have supported or enabled these policies.

The committee calls for a rigorous examination of the political and military leadership in Israel, including the role of dehumanizing language and the incitement of violence, which it believes has contributed to the escalation of the conflict and the suffering of Palestinians.

The report paints a grim picture of the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza.

Since the beginning of the war in October 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 43,736 Palestinians and wounded more than 103,370, according to humanitarian groups.

In last July, British medical journal The Lancet claimed that Israeli actions may have killed more than 186,000 Palestinians in Gaza.

The report also highlights the deaths of at least 20 aid workers in Gaza in the past month alone, including four staff members from Oxfam who were traveling in a clearly marked vehicle.

These figures underscore the severity of the conflict and the immense human cost of Israel’s military actions.

The committee’s report calls on the international community to take immediate action to address the dire situation in Gaza, provide urgent humanitarian aid, and hold Israel accountable for its actions.

The full report will be presented to the UN General Assembly on November 18.

The Special Committee, composed of representatives from Malaysia, Senegal, and Sri Lanka, hopes that the international community will heed its call for accountability and take steps to address the systemic violations of Palestinian rights that have been documented in the report.

The UN’s call for global accountability comes at a time when tensions remain high, and the prospects for peace seem increasingly distant.

The international community’s response to the crisis in Gaza will be critical in determining whether Israel’s actions will go unchallenged or if meaningful steps will be taken to bring an end to the violence and suffering.

In the face of overwhelming evidence, the committee’s call for accountability is a crucial step in addressing one of the most pressing humanitarian crises of our time.