It is substantiated by the results of extensive research by This is an analytical report, based on satellite images, testimonies of survivors and data from humanitarian organizations. The findings are shocking, revealing mass deaths, destruction of critical infrastructure and the deliberate creation of unbearable living conditions. Over 42,000 deaths have been recorded, with 65% of them women and children, while 97% of Gaza’s water has been rendered undrinkable due to blockade and violence. The consequences are devastating: a widespread humanitarian crisis, the establishment of a regime of death and the gradual elimination of the cultural identity of the Palestinian people.
The humanitarian cost
The report, titled , argues how, during its military offensive launched after the deadly Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel wreaked havoc and destruction on Palestinian women in Gaza with audacity, incessantly and with complete impunity.
Gaza, an area with a population of over two million people, is experiencing . The survey records over 42,000 Palestinian deaths, of which 65% are women and children, demonstrating the systematic targeting of civilians. At the same time, 85% of the population is dependent on external humanitarian aid, while the destruction of health infrastructure has led to countless deaths that could have been avoided.
The systematic deprivation of basic resources, such as water and food. According to the data, 97% of the region’s water is non-potable, while daily power outages affect the operation of hospitals and the provision of basic services. This blockade strategy creates conditions of humanitarian crisis that undermine any possibility of survival or decent living for the people of Gaza.
“Amnesty International’s report shows that Israel committed acts prohibited by the Convention on the Prevention and Suppression of the Crime of Genocide, with the specific intent to destroy Palestinian women in Gaza. These acts include killing, inflicting serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately subjecting Palestinians in Gaza to living conditions calculated to result in their physical extermination. With each passing month, Israel treats the Palestinians in Gaza as a subordinate group of people unworthy of human rights and dignity, demonstrating its intent to bring about their physical extermination,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International.
Destruction of cultural identity
The report highlights the targeted destruction of schools, hospitals, and cultural sites, describing a concerted effort to eradicate the Palestinian cultural identity. Over 50% of Gaza’s schools have been severely damaged, while hospitals are frequently targeted by airstrikes. The result is not only the inability to access education and health care, but also the dissolution of the social cohesion and cultural and cultural continuity of the Palestinians.
The destruction of infrastructure is combined with the inability to bring in humanitarian aid, making living conditions even more suffocating. In particular, the embargo prevents the entry of medicines and essential goods, while the international community remains inactive.
How “legal” can a genocide be?
“Our investigation reveals that, for months, Israel persisted in committing acts of genocide, fully aware of the irreparable harm it was causing to Palestinian women in Gaza. It has continued to do so despite countless warnings about the catastrophic humanitarian situation and legally binding rulings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to take immediate action to enable humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza,” said Agnès Callamard. .
“Israel has repeatedly argued that its actions in Gaza are legal and can be justified by its military goal of eliminating Hamas. But genocidal intent can coexist alongside military objectives and need not be Israel’s sole intent,” he added.
Amnesty International argues that Israel’s actions meet the criteria of genocide, as defined by the 1948 United Nations Convention. charge of genocide. Moreover, the use of disproportionate military force, the constant harassment of civilians, and the rejection of any diplomatic solution confirm that Israel’s strategy is not limited to security measures, but constitutes a policy of elimination.
“Israel’s intention is the physical extermination of the Palestinians in Gaza, either alongside its military objective of destroying Hamas or as a means to that end,” said Agnès Callamard. It should also be noted that international jurisprudence recognizes that the perpetrator does not need to succeed in his efforts to destroy the protected group, either in whole or in part, for genocide to have been committed. Doing prohibited acts with the intention of destroying the group, as such, is enough.
Intent to destroy
Amnesty International demonstrates Israel’s intent to exterminate the Palestinian population of Gaza, analyzing its strategies and genocidal statements by senior officials. The investigation disputes Israel’s claims of targeted attacks on Hamas, stressing that systematic violence and destruction is not justified by the presence of militants, while revealing the deliberate killing of civilians and the acceptance of Palestinian destruction as “expendable”.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has imposed a complete siege on Gaza, cutting off critical services such as electricity, water and fuel, exacerbating the already dramatic humanitarian crisis. Despite opportunities to improve the situation, Israel continued to deny aid, leading to extreme hunger, widespread disease and the displacement of nearly 1.9 million people. Refusal to return displaced persons or provide safe haven reveals an intention to make survival impossible.
This strategy has particularly affected children and pregnant women, whose long-term health consequences are expected to be severe. Furthermore, Israel’s systematic refusal to allow refugees to return to their homes or temporarily relocate, knowing that there are no safe areas, reinforces the genocidal nature of the actions being carried out.
Murder and causing grievous bodily or mental harm
Amnesty International documents Israeli airstrikes killing civilians, including 141 children, with no military target. These attacks are part of a larger plan to exterminate the population through systematic violence and the destruction of cultural and social infrastructure. The organization documents genocide through deliberate attacks on civilians, such as the April 20, 2024 airstrike that killed three generations of Palestinians.
Western hypocrisy and silence of the international community
One of the most disturbing elements of the research is . Despite the extent of the violations, no significant sanctions have been imposed on Israel, while countries such as the United States continue to provide military and financial support. US aid to Israel amounts to over $3 billion a year, bolstering its military machine and discouraging violations.
At the same time, without taking specific measures to protect the Palestinian people. This hypocrisy undermines the principles of international law and reinforces the sense of impunity.
“States that continue to transfer arms to Israel at this time must know that they are in breach of their obligation to prevent genocide and risk becoming complicit in genocide. All states that have influence on Israel, especially the main arms suppliers like the USA and Germany, but also other EU member states, the UK, etc., must act now to put an immediate end to its atrocities Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza,” said Amnesty International’s Secretary-General. “The international community’s abject, shameful failure for over a year to pressure Israel to end its atrocities in Gaza, first by delaying calls for a ceasefire and then by continuing arms transfers, is and will remain a stain on our collective consciousness”
The numbers are indisputable: tens of thousands of deaths, widespread destruction of infrastructure and cultural heritage, and conditions that leave no room for survival. The inaction of the international community and the continued economic and military support of Israel, feeds and strengthens this mixture of death and malnutrition as Palestine dies before our eyes. Recognizing genocide and imposing severe sanctions is not only a moral obligation, but also a legal necessity. The Palestinians cannot wait any longer, and the international community must act before history records their complete disappearance as a result of global inaction.
