Israel Accused of Genocide in Gaza by Leading Scholars’ Association

Landmark Resolution Declares Israel’s Actions Meet UN Genocide Convention

The world’s largest academic body dedicated to the study of genocide has declared that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza meets the legal standards of genocide as defined under international law. On Monday, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) announced that an overwhelming 86 percent of its voting members backed a resolution affirming that Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza amount to genocide.

The resolution, which directly references Article II of the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, calls for Israel to cease practices that scholars say constitute mass atrocities, including large-scale civilian killings, deliberate starvation, forced displacement, and targeting of essential infrastructure.

Israel immediately rejected the claim, with its Foreign Ministry denouncing the resolution as “disgraceful” and accusing the group of relying on “Hamas’ campaign of lies.” Israeli officials have consistently argued that their military operations in Gaza are a matter of national self-defense, undertaken in response to the devastating October 2023 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of more than 250 hostages.

Background: From Hamas Attack to Widespread Destruction

Israel’s assault on Gaza began in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, which brought unprecedented violence to Israeli communities. The incident marked one of the deadliest days in Israel’s history and ignited a conflict that has since exacted a staggering humanitarian toll on Gaza’s population.

In the nearly two years that have followed, the offensive has resulted in over 63,000 Palestinian deaths, according to health authorities in Gaza, and has left much of the enclave reduced to rubble. International agencies have reported that nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced at least once, while a UN-backed hunger monitor has confirmed the onset of famine in parts of the territory, describing it as “man-made.” Israel has denied responsibility for famine conditions, attributing shortages to the actions of Hamas and logistical challenges.

Despite ongoing international outcry, Israel’s military campaign has continued with heavy bombardments and ground incursions, drawing mounting scrutiny under international humanitarian law.

The Resolution: A Scholarly Judgment on Genocide

The three-page IAGS resolution calls on Israel to “immediately cease all acts that constitute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity,” enumerating deliberate killings of civilians, forced displacement, starvation tactics, sexual violence, and denial of humanitarian aid.

Importantly, it also emphasized that Hamas’ attack on Israel constituted grave international crimes, drawing a distinction between those actions and the broader findings on genocide in Gaza.

“This is a definitive statement from experts in the field of genocide studies that what is going on on the ground in Gaza is genocide,” said IAGS President Melanie O’Brien, an international law professor specializing in genocide. “There is no justification for the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, not even self-defense,” she added.

Historical Context: The UN Genocide Convention

The 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention was drafted in response to the atrocities of World War II, particularly the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were systematically murdered by Nazi Germany. It defines genocide as crimes committed “with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such.”

The convention places a legal obligation on all state signatories to act to prevent and punish genocide when it occurs, regardless of context or perceived justifications. Historically, recognition of genocides has often been contentious and slow. IAGS, founded in 1994, has passed nine previous resolutions recognizing episodes such as the Rwandan genocide, the atrocities committed in Bosnia, and, more recently, the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar.

This latest declaration marks one of its most controversial interventions, underscoring how the Gaza war has become a defining case for the application of international law to contemporary conflicts.

International Reactions and Legal Implications

Ismail Al-Thawabta, spokesperson for the Hamas-run media office in Gaza, welcomed the resolution, calling it “a prestigious scholarly stance” and urging the international community to respond with urgent protective measures and accountability processes.

Sergey Vasiliev, a professor of international law at the Open University in the Netherlands, said the resolution demonstrates that “this legal assessment has become mainstream within academia, particularly in the field of genocide studies.” He noted that while the IAGS carries no direct enforcement power, its credibility as the leading scholarly authority on genocide could influence public policy and advocacy.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to defend itself at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, where South Africa has brought a case accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The ICJ has thus far issued provisional measures requiring Israel to ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians and to prevent acts of genocide, though it has stopped short of declaring Israel responsible for genocide itself.

Rights groups, including several Israeli and Palestinian NGOs, have echoed similar concerns, with humanitarian organizations documenting mass civilian casualties and destruction of critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools, and water systems. Last week, hundreds of staff at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called on High Commissioner Volker Türk to explicitly label the Gaza crisis as genocide.

Regional Comparisons: Lessons from Past Genocides

Comparisons with previous conflicts highlight the gravity of the current debate. In Rwanda in 1994, systematic killings of Tutsis were recognized as genocide only after much of the violence had already occurred, leaving nearly 800,000 people dead. In Bosnia, the Srebrenica massacre of 1995 was later judged by international courts as genocide, but only years after the atrocities.

Similarly, the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar, many of whom fled to Bangladesh during military crackdowns starting in 2017, has been recognized by the UN and IAGS as genocide, though international accountability efforts remain limited.

By invoking the legal framework of the 1948 Genocide Convention in Gaza, scholars are drawing attention to patterns that echo these past tragedies. Civilian displacement, deliberate starvation policies, mass killings, and the destruction of cultural and social life are among the markers repeatedly identified in prior instances of genocide.

Economic and Humanitarian Impact

Beyond the staggering human toll, the conflict in Gaza has had severe economic repercussions. Gaza’s already fragile economy, under blockade since 2007, has collapsed almost entirely. Infrastructure essential for commerce and daily life has been decimated, with little prospect of immediate recovery.

The destruction of agriculture and supply chains has created widespread hunger, exacerbated by blockades on aid and the targeting of border crossings. Local markets that once provided food and essential goods have vanished, pushing the territory into deep dependency on limited and unpredictable humanitarian aid deliveries.

For Israel, too, the war has carried significant economic burdens. Defense spending has surged, labor shortages have intensified as reservists are mobilized, and international criticism has begun to impact trade and investment. Tourism, historically a vital sector, has suffered sharp declines, with global airlines reducing routes and visitors canceling travel to the region.

Regional economies, including those in neighboring Egypt and Jordan, have also been strained by the conflict. Border areas face security challenges, refugee influxes, and disruptions to long-standing trade routes.

Conclusion: Mounting Pressure Amid International Scrutiny

The decision by the International Association of Genocide Scholars to officially declare Israel’s actions as genocide represents a pivotal moment in the global discourse surrounding the Gaza war. While the resolution does not carry the enforcement power of international courts, its endorsement by leading experts in genocide studies significantly raises the stakes for governments, humanitarian organizations, and judicial bodies.

As Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens and Israel continues its defensive campaign, the debate over genocide recognition is likely to intensify. For scholars, history has repeatedly warned of the costs of delayed acknowledgment. For policymakers and the international community, the urgent question is whether this latest resolution will prompt concrete action—or whether Gaza will join the list of tragedies recognized too late.