Allegations of genocide in the 2023 Israeli attack on Gaza
Alleged genocide of Palestinians by Israel / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There are allegations that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war.[19][20][21] Various scholars, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese,[22] have cited statements by senior Israeli officials that they argue demonstrate an "intent to destroy" the population of Gaza, a necessary condition for the legal threshold of genocide to be met.[23][24][25]
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Allegations of Israeli genocide in Gaza | |
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Part of the Israel–Hamas war and Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories | |
Location | Gaza Strip |
Date | 7 October 2023 (2023-10-07) – present |
Target | Palestinians |
Attack type | Collective punishment, airstrikes, famine, ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, mass murder, others |
Deaths |
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Injured | At least 77,765[6][1] |
Victims | |
Motive | |
Accused | Israel
Complicity: |
The government of South Africa has instituted proceedings, South Africa v. Israel, against Israel at the International Court of Justice, alleging genocide.[26] In an initial rulling, the ICJ stated that South Africa was entitled to bring its case against Israel, while Palestinians were recognized to have "plausible rights to protection from genocide," which faced a real risk of irreparable damage. The court ordered Israel to observe its obligations under the Genocide Convention by taking all measures within its power to prevent the commission of acts of genocide, to prevent and punish incitement to genocide, and to allow basic humanitarian services into Gaza.[27][28][29] Israel has called the case "wholly unfounded" and "morally repugnant".[29]
By mid-March 2024, Israeli forces had killed over 31,500 Palestinians – one out of every 75 people in Gaza – averaging 195 killings a day.[30] A majority of victims were civilians, including over 25,000 women and children,[31][32] and 95 journalists.[33] It is believed that thousands more dead bodies are under the rubble of destroyed buildings.[34][35][36] By March 2024, 374 healthcare workers in Gaza had been killed.[37]
The allegations regarding Israel's actions, have drawn criticism from several publications and individuals. Several publications argued that labeling Israel's actions as "genocide" cheapens the term and undermines its serious nature as defined by the UN Genocide Convention.[38][39][40][41] South Africa's claims were also criticized for diverting attention from real issues such as potential breaches of war laws and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,[38] and for ignoring Hamas' actions.[42] Several publications argued that Israel's actions are defensive responses to Hamas, not identity-based attacks on Palestinians, and warn that these claims could weaken global genocide laws.[38][43] The Austrian Chancellor and Czech Prime Minister together argued that the country's actions could result in the politicisation of the ICJ.[44][45][40]