There have been deadly allegations brought forth by Israeli human rights organizations against the Israeli government, accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza. “Our Genocide” is the title of a new report issued by B’Tselem, Israel’s leading human rights organisation. This report sheds light on grave allegations pertaining to the currently ongoing 22-month conflict in the territory at stake. The report argues that the Israeli government’s response to the attacks on October 7, 2023, has been used to justify extensive military actions that have devastated Gaza.
The report’s release coincides with another report from Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), which highlights the severe impact of the conflict on Gaza’s health sector. At their joint launch in Jerusalem, both organizations urged immediate international action and an urgent recalculation of Israel’s actions on the ground. They argue that the trauma that connects all Palestinians has been weaponized against them to fuel a more harmful agenda.
B’Tselem’s executive director, Yuli Novak, said in a statement her disappointment at the need for the report. “The report we are publishing today is one we never imagined we would have to write,” she stated, indicating the dire situation that has unfolded over the past months. The evidence compiled by B’Tselem includes testimonies from Palestinians alongside official statistics detailing the war’s toll on civilian life.
A Comprehensive Look at Allegations
B’Tselem’s report paints a grim picture of the situation in Gaza, asserting that Israel’s military response cannot be viewed in isolation from the longstanding conflict between the two sides. The organization states that the recent actions stem from a long history of violence, oppression, and discrimination against Palestinians. Policies have perpetuated this troublesome reality for more than seven decades.
Novak highlighted that the Israeli government has successfully played public opinion in the wake of the October 7 attacks. This trickery helps to justify its ongoing military invasion. “That feeling, that collective trauma, was taken advantage of by a government,” she remarked. This exploitation of trauma blames all Gazans for the actions of Hamas—unfairly penalizing everyone living in Gaza. Ultimately, it brings great pain and destruction to blameless non-combatants.
Yet the report claims that Israeli forces have targeted hospitals and clinics almost daily, devastating Gaza’s already shattered health sector. B’Tselem cited evacuation orders and direct attacks on hospitals as part of a coordinated effort to dismantle medical services across the region. This systematic targeting calls into question the humanitarian crisis being perpetrated against the civilian population in Gaza.
The Health Crisis in Gaza
Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) opened an investigation noting the catastrophic effect on Gaza’s health sector. They weren’t just looking at the damage done after the war was over. Their findings expose a dangerous pattern. Targeted attacks have systematically destroyed medical facilities, and thus targeted attacks have endangered healthcare workers. Guy Shalev, the executive director of PHRI, declared that in this time more than 1,500 healthcare workers have lost their lives. In addition, he said, Israeli forces have directly detained about 300 other healthcare professionals.
PHRI’s report describes a “deliberate and systemic dismantling” of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure. Shalev’s testimony highlighted the urgency to act on this growing crisis. He noted that establishments of health care had been directly targeted and the military presence obstructed persistent access to healthcare. The impact on civilians is catastrophic, with patients barely able to access the care they need during the turmoil created by the pandemic.
The reports from B’Tselem and PHRI come at a critical time when international scrutiny of Israel’s actions is mounting. Aid and advocacy organizations have called for responsibility for the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza. They’re looking for world leaders to listen and respond.
Reactions and Responses
The accusations detailed in B’Tselem’s findings have been strongly condemned by the Israeli government, who called the report a “politically motivated document.” The foreign ministry’s rebuttal was unusually fierce. They maintained that these allegations are completely baseless and only aggravate organizations such as Hamas, which have perpetrated acts of terror against innocents.
A spokesperson for the Israeli foreign ministry charged that, “They very cynically used the most extreme expression possible ‘genocide,’ to shock and interest the media and the public.” They claimed that Israel’s military actions are “defensive” operations and only target Hamas—not civilians.
B’Tselem maintains that Israel’s military strategy has indiscriminately affected Palestinian civilians. Novak noted, “They marked the entire population of Gaza as responsible for Hamas’s attack,” indicating a troubling shift in rhetoric from Israeli leadership. She drew attention to the rhetoric coming out of our political leaders, calling Gazans animals and all sorts of dehumanizing language.
As tensions continue to escalate, human rights organizations urge the international community to apply pressure on the Israeli government to alter its current course. They call on us to confront an unbroken arc of violence against the Palestinian people. This is an important step toward stopping the further escalation and saving lives.
