The verdict is in: How Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide

After a vote, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) has passed a resolution stating that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide.

The IAGS, which has 500 members, held a vote in which 28% of members participated. Of those who voted, 86% supported the resolution. The document states that “Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide in article II of the United Nations convention for the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide (1948).”

The three-page resolution also calls on Israel to “immediately cease all acts that constitute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza.” It specifically cites acts such as “deliberate attacks against and killing of civilians including children; starvation; deprivation of humanitarian aid, water, fuel, and other items essential to the survival of the population; sexual and reproductive violence; and forced displacement of the population.”

We have known all along that genocide has been happening in Gaza. There has been independent investigation and expert consensus showing that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal criteria for genocide, based on internationally recognized definitions such as the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Key evidence from past independent investigations and scholarly associations includes:

• The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), a global body of about 500 genocide experts, passed a resolution in 2025 with 86% support stating that Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide. The resolution cites indiscriminate and deliberate attacks on civilians, starvation, forced displacement, and systematic destruction of essential services as evidence. It calls for immediate cessation of these acts and compliance with International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Criminal Court (ICC) orders.

• A report from Boston University School of Law concluded after reviewing facts from independent human rights monitors, journalists, and UN agencies that Israel’s actions in Gaza since October 2023 violate the Genocide Convention by killing, harming, and inflicting life-threatening conditions on Palestinians with the intent to destroy the group in whole or part.

• The UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, reported in 2024 that there are reasonable grounds to believe Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. She identified specific genocidal acts including causing serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting destructive conditions of life, and preventing births within the group, with requisite intent.

• The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) also published findings stating that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide under international law. They cite the high civilian death toll, including thousands of women, children, and elderly; grave bodily and mental harm; and ongoing destructive policies as evidence.

• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Criminal Court (ICC) have taken legal actions relevant to these allegations. For example, South Africa filed a case against Israel for genocide at the ICJ in 2023, and the ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials related to war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

This body of independent expert investigations, international legal actions, and scholarly consensus provides strong and ongoing proof that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal criteria for genocide under international law.

The independent consensus is clear: Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide. This is not a political debate; it is a matter of international law and human rights. Share this information widely to inform others and counter misinformation. Support human rights organizations and legal bodies working to hold perpetrators accountable.