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The Gaza Tribunal, an independent civil initiative established to investigate the legal, political, and ethical dimensions of Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza, continues its public hearings in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The first public session of the Gaza Tribunal opened in Sarajevo on May 26 and will continue until May 29.
On the third day of the hearings, which are hosted by the International University of Sarajevo (IUS), a range of scholars, intellectuals, human rights defenders, and civil society and media representatives gathered to present under the theme “History, Ethics, and Philosophy.”
Key topics included genocide as a state crime, the philosophical foundations of the Gaza conflict, historical accounts of ethnic cleansing, Palestinian displacement, the resistance movement, and broader critiques of Zionist ideology, Holocaust exceptionalism, and the denial of genocide.
Held at the International University of Sarajevo (IUS), the third day of the session convened under the theme of History, Ethics, and Philosophy, bringing together academics, legal experts, human rights advocates, and representatives from civil society.
Discussions have focused on a wide range of issues, including the history of ethnic cleansing, genocide as a state crime, the philosophical roots of genocide in Gaza, the displacement of Palestinians, Palestinian resistance, “Holocaust privilege” and Israeli genocide, ethnic cleansing through civilizational narratives, Zionist culture and the denial of genocide.
Prominent speakers include Australian criminologist Penny Green, scholar Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, and historian Ussama Makdisi.
The Gaza Tribunal was formally launched in London in November 2024 by a coalition of academics, intellectuals, human rights advocates, and representatives from civil society organizations in response to what they described as “the total failure of the organized international community to implement international law” in Gaza.
Following the assembly in Sarajevo, the tribunal plans to hold its final hearing session in October this year in Istanbul.
During this event, a Jury of Conscience will present a draft of the tribunal’s findings and decisions, drawing on testimonies from witnesses and statements from Palestinians affected by the crisis.
On the final day, the Sarajevo Declaration will be presented to the public.
The initiative was first launched in London in November 2024 by academics and civil society representatives who criticized the international community's failure to uphold international law in Gaza.
A final hearing is scheduled for October in Istanbul, where the tribunal's panel—comprising experts in law, politics, and civil society—will listen to testimonies from victims and witnesses and announce a preliminary draft of its final judgment.
Additional recommendations and mandates are also expected.
Formed in response to alleged war crimes and acts of genocide committed by Israel following the events of Oct. 7, the Gaza Tribunal seeks to bring attention to ongoing human rights violations in Gaza.
The process is organized by international human rights and civil society groups and is designed to function independently of state or political influence.
While not a substitute for institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) or the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Gaza Tribunal aims to complement their work by accelerating awareness, offering legal clarity, and amplifying voices from affected communities.
It also addresses the accountability gap that persists regarding the conflict and is committed to operating with full transparency and independence.
Israel will be symbolically tried in absentia for alleged war crimes and genocide in Gaza, based on documented testimony and expert analysis presented during the hearings.
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