Two Israeli Rights Groups Accuse Israel of Genocide in Gaza/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ For the first time, prominent Israeli rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel have accused their own country of committing genocide in Gaza. Their reports challenge official narratives and echo international claims about Israel’s war conduct. The move breaks a major taboo in Israeli society and calls for global action.
Gaza Genocide Accusation Quick Looks
- B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel: Israel is committing genocide in Gaza
- First Jewish-Israeli organizations to make this accusation during the war
- Reports cite systematic destruction, targeting of health infrastructure, and forced displacement
- Israeli officials dismiss genocide claims as antisemitic and defend military action
- No Israeli government comment yet on the new reports
- Rights groups argue Israel committed acts defined under international genocide law
- Statements by Israeli officials allegedly show intent to destroy Gaza society
- Reports built on eyewitness accounts, legal reviews, and medical data
- Historical weight of the Holocaust makes term ‘genocide’ especially charged in Israel
- International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant
- Most Israeli criticism of the war focuses on Netanyahu’s leadership, not military conduct
- Critics say Israel’s focus on hostages eclipses concern for Gaza civilians
Deep Look: Israeli Rights Groups Declare Genocide in Gaza, Breaking Long-Held Taboo
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — In a significant shift within Israeli civil society, two of the country’s most respected rights organizations—B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI)—have publicly accused the Israeli government of committing genocide in Gaza. The declaration, made nearly 22 months into the war, marks the first time Israeli Jewish-led groups have used the term “genocide” to describe their country’s military actions in the territory.
The reports from both groups claim that Israel’s conduct during the conflict—launched in response to Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack—goes beyond conventional warfare. They argue that official statements, military policy, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure demonstrate a systematic attempt to destroy the Palestinian population in Gaza, in whole or in part.
Breaking a Cultural and Historical Taboo
Using the word “genocide” in Israel carries deep historical and emotional weight. Founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, Israel’s national identity is inextricably tied to the memory of the genocide of six million Jews by Nazi Germany. For this reason, even the country’s most vocal critics have historically avoided applying that term to Israeli military actions.
“This is a painful conclusion,” said Guy Shalev, director of PHRI. “But we must confront reality. When Israeli groups themselves reach this conclusion, it compels a reckoning.”
The reports argue that dismissing genocide claims as antisemitic is no longer valid when they come from inside Israel. The groups emphasize their findings are rooted in international legal definitions and based on independent documentation, legal consultation, and testimonies—even though they have been barred from entering Gaza during the war.
Legal and Medical Evidence Cited
The PHRI report focuses on what it describes as the “deliberate, progressive dismantling” of Gaza’s health and life-sustaining systems, including access to electricity, clean water, food, and medical care. It alleges that Israel has committed three acts of genocide as defined by international law, particularly the act of inflicting living conditions “calculated to bring about physical destruction.”
B’Tselem’s analysis connects military strategy with official rhetoric, pointing to repeated calls by Israeli leaders for the destruction, starvation, and displacement of Palestinians. The rights groups argue these statements, paired with actual policy implementation, demonstrate intent to destroy Gaza’s population.
Israeli Government Position: Denial and Deflection
The Israeli government has not yet responded to the new reports. It continues to reject genocide allegations, including those made by South Africa at the International Court of Justice and by the International Criminal Court, which has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes.
Israeli officials assert the country is acting in self-defense, blaming Hamas for using civilians as shields and embedding militants in residential areas. But B’Tselem counters that such claims are frequently made without evidence and cannot justify “systematic, widespread destruction.”
War Shifts From Control to Annihilation, Groups Say
B’Tselem contends that Israel’s strategy shifted post-October 7 from “repression and control to destruction and annihilation.” The group, which previously labeled Israeli policies as “apartheid,” ended its cooperation with the military nearly a decade ago over what it called ineffective investigations into alleged abuses.
The joint statements by PHRI and B’Tselem align closely with previous findings by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, but the fact that they originate from within Israel breaks new ground and could add weight to international legal efforts.
National Response: Focus Remains on Hostages
Despite mounting international pressure, public scrutiny within Israel has remained limited. The focus of Israeli society remains largely on the 50 hostages still held in Gaza, not on the wider humanitarian crisis. Analysts suggest this focus, combined with universal military service, makes it difficult for most Jewish Israelis to imagine that their soldiers could be involved in genocide.
“Most people in uniform have family connections,” said Israeli historian Tom Segev. “It’s hard to process the idea that they could be part of something like this.”
Nonetheless, Segev warned that the ongoing destruction in Gaza may be undermining the moral justification for Israel’s existence, even if most Israelis remain unwilling to confront that possibility directly.
International Community Urged to Act
The rights groups are calling for stronger action from the international community, which they say has failed to meaningfully respond. They urge foreign governments and Israeli citizens alike to speak out against what they describe as state-driven mass atrocity.
“We have an obligation to stand by the victims,” said Sarit Michaeli, B’Tselem’s international director. “The world must no longer look away.”
The reports arrive as Israel continues to face growing isolation on the world stage, with calls for accountability mounting in global legal forums. Whether the accusations from within its own borders shift internal sentiment remains to be seen.
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