Various scholars, including United Nations Special RapporteurFrancesca Albanese,[22] have cited statements by senior Israeli officials that they argue demonstrate an "intent to destroy" Gaza's population, a necessary condition for the legal threshold of genocide to be met.[19][23][24] 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.[25] Most of the victims were civilians, including over 25,000 women and children[26][27] and 95 journalists.[28] Thousands more dead bodies are under the rubble of destroyed buildings.[29][30][31] By March 2024, 374 healthcare workers in Gaza had been killed.[32] The government of South Africa has instituted proceedings, South Africa v. Israel, against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging a violation of the Genocide Convention.[33] In an initial ruling, the ICJ held that South Africa was entitled to bring its case against Israel, while Palestinians were recognised to have "plausible rights to protection from genocide" that 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.[34][35][36] Israel has called the case "wholly unfounded" and "morally repugnant",[36] and called the ICJ's ruling antisemitic.[37]
Several publications have argued that Israel's actions are defensive responses to Hamas, not identity-based attacks on Palestinians, and warned that these claims could weaken global genocide laws.[38][39] The Austrian Chancellor and Czech Prime Minister together argued that Israel's actions could result in the politicisation of the ICJ.[40][41][42]
^Huynh, Benjamin Q.; Chin, Elizabeth T.; Spiegel, Paul B. (6 December 2023). "No evidence of inflated mortality reporting from the Gaza Ministry of Health". The Lancet. 403 (10421): 23–24. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02713-7. PMID38070526.
^ ab"Gaza: UN experts call on international community to prevent genocide against the Palestinian people". OHCHR. 16 November 2023. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023. Grave violations committed by Israel against Palestinians in the aftermath of 7 October, particularly in Gaza, point to a genocide in the making, UN experts said today. They illustrated evidence of increasing genocidal incitement, overt intent to "destroy the Palestinian people under occupation", loud calls for a 'second Nakba' in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, and the use of powerful weaponry with inherently indiscriminate impacts, resulting in a colossal death toll and destruction of life-sustaining infrastructure.
^"Hamas leader Haniyeh: Battle 'will spread to West Bank, Jerusalem'". Arab News. Associated Press and Reuters. 8 October 2023. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. The leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, said Saturday's assault was in response to the 16-year blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at Al-Aqsa and increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians, and growth of settlements.
^Cite error: The named reference Albanese_anatomy_of_a_genocide was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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