Israeli human rights groups claim genocide in Gaza
- Two Israeli human rights organizations, B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, have accused their government of committing genocide in Gaza.
- The rights groups' reports highlight a systematic dismantling of Gaza's health infrastructure and living conditions.
- This represents a significant break in a social taboo and adds to the intense debate about the legality and morality of Israel's ongoing military actions.
In July 2025, two prominent Israeli human rights organizations, B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, publicly declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. This announcement comes amid a conflict that has been ongoing for nearly 22 months, initiated by Israel’s military offensive following Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023. The allegations, made by these Jewish-led organizations, represent a significant departure from the prevailing narrative within Israel, where most citizens view the military actions as justified in response to violence from Hamas. Both organizations based their claims on extensive analyses, asserting that Israel's military strategies and policies in Gaza have systematically led to the decimation of the region's health and basic life-sustaining systems, including access to essential resources like electricity, clean water, and food. The reports detail how Israel's actions align with three recognized acts of genocide according to international law, which aim at causing conditions of life that would bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The groups argue that repeated statements from Israeli officials indicating an intent to eradicate Palestinian society contribute to the substantiation of their claims. These declarations, alongside broad military actions, underscore a strategy that they interpret as deliberately aimed at diminishing and destroying the Palestinian population and its societal framework. This perspective gains weight considering the historical sensitivity surrounding the term 'genocide' within Israeli society, where many view such accusations as antisemitic. Both organizations are respected in international circles but remain considered fringe voices within Israel itself, where criticism of military conduct is often met with strong resistance. The reticence among the Israeli public to engage with accusations of genocide stems from painful historical memories, particularly the Holocaust, making the dialogue around these allegations complex and fraught with emotional weight. Despite the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and growing international criticism, a significant portion of the Israeli population continues to endorse the military's actions, prioritizing national security concerns, especially regarding hostages over the humanitarian crisis faced by Gazans.