UN Committee Warns of Genocide, Urges Sanctions Over Israel’s Actions in Gaza

The report paints a sweeping picture of severe human rights violations, territorial expansionism, and structural oppression under what it describes as an entrenched apartheid system.

The United Nations Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories has issued one of its strongest condemnations to date, warning that Israel’s ongoing military operations and policies in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria and southern Lebanon amount to genocidal practices and have caused “unimaginable pain and suffering.”

Presenting its latest report to the UN General Assembly, the Committee detailed extensive findings based on testimonies, documentation, and first-hand accounts collected from Palestinians, Syrians, Lebanese civilians, humanitarian workers, and human rights organisations. The report paints a sweeping picture of severe human rights violations, territorial expansionism, and structural oppression under what it describes as an entrenched apartheid system.

A Mandate Tracing Back to 1968

The Special Committee was established by the UN General Assembly in 1968 following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war to monitor conditions in territories occupied by Israel. Over five decades later, its mandate remains largely unchanged, reflecting the unresolved nature of the conflict and the continued occupation of Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese land.

In its new report, the Committee stresses that Israel continues to expand its physical and administrative control across the occupied territories. This expansion, it argues, is bolstered by what Israeli leaders refer to as a borderless “Land of Israel”—a political and ideological claim that UN experts say is incompatible with international law and threatens the prospects for a just and lasting peace.

Testimonies Point to Atrocity Crimes and Systematic Oppression

The Committee highlighted numerous testimonies describing how the policies and actions of the Israeli Government have resulted in atrocity crimes, including the total subjugation of those living under occupation. Witnesses reported a pattern of dehumanisation of Palestinians in both rhetoric and practice, framing them as enemies rather than civilians entitled to legal protection.

According to the report:

• In Gaza, Israel’s restriction of humanitarian aid for nearly three months resulted in widespread famine. Basic necessities such as food, water, fuel and medical supplies were severely obstructed, contributing to catastrophic civilian suffering.

• In the West Bank, since the 7 October 2023 attacks, Israeli officials have allegedly enabled armed settlers—often with military support—to intimidate, terrorise, forcibly displace and, in some cases, kill Palestinians. These actions have reportedly been aimed at expanding settlements and pushing communities off their ancestral lands.

• In Syria, Israel has accelerated settlement expansion in the occupied Golan Heights and signalled intentions to remain indefinitely in newly occupied territory.

• In Lebanon, Israeli strikes during 2024 killed and injured thousands, including unprecedented numbers of medical workers—more than in any other conflict that year.

The Committee stressed that these actions form part of a broader pattern marked by racist, expansionist and, increasingly, genocidal rhetoric from senior Israeli officials.

Zero Accountability Despite Global Justice Mechanisms

A central concern raised in the report is Israel’s continued disregard for international legal rulings, including binding orders by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Despite these decisions, the Committee says Israel has faced no meaningful consequences due to sustained diplomatic, financial and military support from powerful states.

This international shield, the Committee argues, has allowed Israel to act with “complete impunity” despite mounting evidence of wide-scale violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Calls for Immediate International Action

In a significant escalation of its recommendations, the Committee is calling on UN Member States to adopt concrete measures to ensure accountability and prevent further atrocities. It urged states to:

• Impose sanctions and a comprehensive arms embargo to halt Israel’s military operations in Gaza and other areas.

• Compel Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied territories in accordance with international law.

• Fully cooperate with the ICC and strengthen universal jurisdiction proceedings.

• **Investigate and prosecute individuals—including foreign nationals and dual citizens—who travel to Israel, enlist in its armed forces, commit violations, and then return home without accountability.

The Committee emphasised that accountability must extend to both state and non-state actors, including corporate entities involved in supplying weapons, surveillance tools, or other assistance that contributes to alleged war crimes.

A Warning to the International Community

The report concludes with an urgent appeal to the global community: failure to act now, it warns, will perpetuate a cycle of violence, displacement and instability with far-reaching consequences for the Middle East and beyond.

“The international community must act,” the Committee said. “There must be accountability for these and other egregious violations of international law.”