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UN Report Accuses Israel of Continued Genocide in Gaza and Crimes Against Humanity

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A United Nations commission of inquiry has accused Israel of continuing to commit genocide in Gaza and crimes against humanity in the West Bank, according to a report released on October 26, 2026. The findings, published by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, allege that these atrocities persisted despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire and include extermination, torture, and sexual violence.

The report serves as a searing indictment of a state that the commission claims has placed itself above international law.

Commission Finds Israeli Intent to Commit Genocide

The commission’s investigation covered the period from the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks through September 2026. It concluded that Israeli authorities demonstrated a “consistent intent” to establish permanent military control over Gaza and alter its demographic composition. The report specifically identifies the killing and harming of Palestinian children and the use of sexual violence as evidence of a specific intent to commit genocide.

A critical detail in the report involves the “Yellow Line,” a demarcation presented as a temporary ceasefire boundary. The commission found that this line has encroached further into Gaza, becoming a de facto border that reflects Israel’s expanding territorial control. The commission noted that Israeli forces continued to use heavy munitions, drones, artillery, and sniper fire in densely populated areas even during the ceasefire period.

The human cost of the assault is staggering. Palestinian authorities state that more than 74,000 people have been killed in Gaza.

Systematic Attacks in the West Bank

The violence is not limited to the enclave. The commission accused Israel of committing crimes against humanity in the occupied West Bank, including extermination and rape. The report describes a “widespread and systematic attack” on civilians, fueled by Israeli military operations and sustained violence by settlers.

The escalation in the West Bank is highlighted by a sharp increase in airstrike fatalities. According to the commission, the number of Palestinians killed in airstrikes in the West Bank rose from six people between 2008 and October 6, 2023, to 254 people between October 7, 2023, and September 30, 2026.

“The intentional killing and injuring of Palestinian civilians and destruction of homes in the West Bank combined with Israel’s persistent denial of responsibility form part of a broader strategy to exterminate and displace Palestinians and impose conditions of life that are unlivable,” said Srinivasan Muralidhar, the commission’s chair.

Allies Shield Netanyahu from International Legal Enforcement

Despite the gravity of these findings, the report highlights a gap between international legal mandates and political enforcement. In 2024, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes. However, Netanyahu continues to travel freely to the U.S. and other Western capitals.

UN Report Accuses Israel of Continued Genocide in Gaza and Crimes Against Humanity
Photo: Dawn

Allies support this perceived impunity. The U.S. and Germany have spent decades defending Israel, refusing to take steps that would compromise their image as defenders of human rights. Every state that continues to arm and shield Israel, the report suggests, is complicit in the slaughter.

Israel and UN Watch Dismiss Report as Propaganda

The Israeli government has dismissed the report as “propaganda” and a “misinformation campaign.” Ambassador Daniel Meron, representing the Israeli mission in Geneva, stated that the report is an attempt to “demonise the State of Israel” and undermine its fundamental right to exist and defend itself.

Israel-Palestine: UN Commission Says Genocide Continues Despite Ceasefire | October 2026

Parallel to the government’s rejection, UN Watch and the UKLFI Charitable Trust released a legal rebuttal aimed at dismantling the commission’s findings. UN Watch argues that the report is fundamentally flawed, claiming it presents arguable findings as established facts while treating Israeli accounts as mere allegations.

The UN Watch rebuttal raises several specific objections:

  • The report allegedly ignores the role of hostages and the UN’s own findings of sexual violence committed by Palestinian terrorists on October 7.
  • It claims the commission ignores the fact that Hamas embeds itself within civilian populations and operates from hospitals.
  • It asserts that the report overstates the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion and presents provisional measures as a definitive finding of genocide, which the court has not made.
  • It questions the impartiality of the commission, noting that former chair Navi Pillay had called for sanctions against Israel before her appointment.

Internal Palestinian Failures

The commission did not grant the Palestinian leadership total immunity. The commission faulted the Palestinian Authority for targeting dissenting voices and creating a narrowed space for civil society through the killing and wounding of journalists and human rights defenders.

The report arrived on the global stage just one day before Israel’s general election, adding a layer of domestic political volatility to an already explosive international legal crisis. As the world watches, the tension remains between the “unambiguous” legal conclusions of the UN and the political will of the Western powers that provide the weaponry and diplomatic cover necessary for the conflict to continue.

UN report says Israel continues to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza

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U.N. commission says Israel continues “genocidal acts” in Gaza despite the ceasefire
Q&A: UN Israel-Palestine Commission Speaks on Crimes Against Humanity in West Bank | October 2026

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