UN accuses Israel of war crimes in Gaza, urges genocide prevention
UN rights office cites mass civilian deaths, systematic destruction, forced displacement, and lack of accountability amid ongoing US-backed Israeli genocide
GENEVA, Switzerland (MNTV) — The United Nations human rights office has issued a stark warning over Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, urging urgent measures to prevent what it described as potential genocide, while also accusing Israeli forces of widespread war crimes and systematic violations of international law.
In a strongly worded report released, UN rights chief Volker Türk said Israel must comply with a 2024 International Court of Justice ruling that ordered steps to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza. He called on Israeli authorities to ensure their military does not engage in such acts and to prosecute any incitement without delay.
The report sharply criticized Israel’s conduct since October 7, 2023, saying its military actions—carried out with continued political and military backing from the United States—have resulted in grave breaches of international law, including war crimes and other atrocity crimes.
According to figures cited in the report, more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the genocide began, based on data from the territory’s health ministry, which the UN considers credible.
The UN said Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, humanitarian shelters, media workers, aid personnel, and emergency responders, describing the pattern of attacks as systematic and widespread.
It further warned that the scale of destruction in Gaza has rendered large parts of the territory uninhabitable, with conditions it said are “incompatible with continued existence” for the Palestinian population.
The report also documented mass displacement across Gaza and the occupied West Bank, accusing Israeli forces of using disproportionate and often lethal force that has led to unlawful killings and the destruction of entire residential areas and refugee camps.
It said the pattern of destruction, particularly in northern Gaza and parts of the West Bank, strongly indicates an intent to permanently alter population distribution, raising serious concerns of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing.
Taken together, the UN rights office said the conduct amounts to a form of collective punishment against Palestinians, carried out with minimal accountability despite repeated international warnings.
It also criticized the use of dehumanizing and inflammatory rhetoric against Palestinians by Israeli officials, warning that such language has persisted without meaningful consequences or enforcement action.
The report comes amid continued international divisions over the conflict, with repeated US diplomatic backing shielding Israel from stronger multilateral accountability measures despite escalating civilian casualties and humanitarian collapse in Gaza.
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