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A new report released Thursday by a U.N. Special Committee investigating Israeli practices in Gaza found Israel’s military actions consistent with the characteristics of genocide.
The committee accused Israel of intentionally imposing life-threatening conditions on Palestinians, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare.
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"Since the beginning of the war, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies that strip Palestinians of the very necessities required to sustain life—food, water, and fuel," the committee said, adding that Israel has systematically interfered with humanitarian aid to use vital supplies for political and military ends.
Covering the period from October 2023 (when the Gaza offensive began) to July 2024, the report highlighted the devastating impact of Israel’s ongoing siege and bombing campaigns. It underscored how the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, including water, sanitation, and food systems, has led to a humanitarian disaster.
"By destroying vital water, sanitation and food systems, and contaminating the environment, Israel has created a lethal mix of crises that will inflict severe harm on generations to come," the committee warned.
The report also raised concerns over Israel’s use of artificial intelligence-enhanced targeting systems in military operations, which it claims has led to disproportionate civilian casualties, especially among women and children.
"The Israeli military’s use of AI-assisted targeting, with minimal human oversight, combined with heavy bombs, underscores Israel’s disregard of its obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants," the committee said.
Further criticism was directed at Israel’s media censorship and suppression of dissent, alongside attacks on U.N. organizations and humanitarian workers.
The committee also called for international accountability, urging U.N. member states to halt support for Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
"A failure to do so weakens the very core of the international legal system and sets a dangerous precedent, allowing atrocities to go unchecked," it said.
The committee’s findings are due to be presented next Monday to the U.N. General Assembly.
A Palestinian inspects the damage after an overnight Israeli airstrike in Beit Lahia the northern Gaza Strip on October 27, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Palestinians inspect the damage outside Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital after the Israeli military withdrew from the complex housing the hospital on April 1, 2024, amid the ongoing battles Israel and the Hamas militant group. (Photo by AFP)
Displaced Palestinians fleeing Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, walk on Gaza's main Salah al-Din road on the outskirts of Gaza City, on November 5, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. - Gaza civil defence agency said on November 5 that at least 13 people, including some living in tents for displaced Palestinians, were killed in Israeli air strikes overnight. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)" alt="French campaign urges boycott of France-Israel football match">
A Palestinian inspects the damage after an overnight Israeli airstrike in Beit Lahia the northern Gaza Strip on October 27, 2024. (AFP Photo)Palestinians inspect the damage outside Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital after the Israeli military withdrew from the complex housing the hospital on April 1, 2024, amid the ongoing battles Israel and the Hamas militant group. (Photo by AFP)Displaced Palestinians fleeing Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, walk on Gaza's main Salah al-Din road on the outskirts of Gaza City, on November 5, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. - Gaza civil defence agency said on November 5 that at least 13 people, including some living in tents for displaced Palestinians, were killed in Israeli air strikes overnight. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
Israel has continued its devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023. The onslaught has killed more than 43,700 people and wounded some 103,000, rendering the enclave almost uninhabitable.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.
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