The United Nations General Assembly heard a grave accusation on Thursday as Navi Pillay, chairperson of the Independent Commission of Inquiry, declared that Israel had committed “four genocidal acts” in Gaza. Presenting the commission’s latest findings, Pillay said the conclusion was based on legal analysis conducted under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. She stated that Israel acted with the “specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as such,” making it responsible for violations that fall under the international definition of genocide.
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Pillay further asserted that Israeli leaders, including the President, Prime Minister, and former Defence Minister, had incited genocide through public statements and policies. She described the ongoing situation as “the most ruthless, prolonged, and widespread attack against the Palestinian people in history.” While acknowledging that a fragile ceasefire and the release of hostages have provided temporary relief, she warned that these developments “cannot undo the devastation” that has left Gaza nearly uninhabitable and its population displaced, traumatized, and struggling for survival.
Additionally, Pillay emphasized that Israeli officials had publicly endorsed plans for deporting Palestinians, constructing settlements, and annexing occupied territories. Although current ceasefire conditions have delayed these actions, she cautioned that recent remarks from Israeli leaders reveal that such objectives remain unchanged. Pillay’s report also highlighted the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, and schools, describing Gaza as a territory “lying in ruins, deprived of the basic means of human existence.”
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In her final address as chairperson, Pillay expanded on the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where the commission found policies aimed at forcibly transferring Palestinians and expanding Israeli settlements. She said these actions show “clear intent to prevent Palestinian self-determination and maintain indefinite occupation.” Calling it a systemic denial of statehood, Pillay urged Member States to uphold justice through international law, supporting the International Criminal Court’s ongoing investigations and using universal jurisdiction to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes and genocide.
Expressing deep disappointment, Pillay remarked that the post-World War Two global system had “failed to prevent this genocide,” exposing weaknesses in international accountability. She urged nations to pursue truth, reconciliation, and transitional justice as the only path to lasting peace. Meanwhile, Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, reiterated the call for a permanent ceasefire and Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied areas. She urged Member States to suspend military, trade, and diplomatic relations with Israel “until it ends and remedies its genocide and occupation,” insisting that global action must replace silence in the face of human suffering.