A UN-commissioned inquiry has accused Israel of persisting with genocidal actions in Gaza even during a ceasefire. The report also alleges widespread war crimes, including sexual violence and torture, within the West Bank and Sde Teiman prison.
The jump from 53 to 60 percent territorial control
The Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory reports that the ceasefire agreement failed to halt Israel's military objectives in Gaza. according to the report, Israeli forces expanded their footprint in the territory during the ceasefire period, increasing their control from 53 percent to at least 60 percent of the region.
This territorial expansion suggests that the ceasefire served more as a tactical pause than a genuine cessation of hostilities. By pushing deeper into Gaza, the Israeli military has maintained a trajectory of dominance that the UN experts claim is driven by a genocidal intent to destroy Palestinians in the territory, in whole or in part.
196 Palestinians killed during the ceasefire window
The human cost of this continued military activity is stark, with the commission documenting at least 196 Palestinian deaths during the ceasefire period. This death toll includes 18 women, 32 boys, and 11 girls, according to the findings released Monday.
These figures place the current violence within the broader context of a conflict that began with the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken. in response, Israel's campaign has resulted in over 74,000 Palestinian deaths, as reported by Gaza's Health Ministry.
Sexual violence and torture at Sde Teiman prison
Beyond the battlefield, the report details harrowing accounts of abuse in dettention centers. The commission documented six specific cases of sexual violence against male detainees from Gaza at the Sde Teiman military prison, including an instance where a guard allegedly raped a detainee with a stick.
The report further alleges that Israeli forces committed crimes against humanity in the West Bank, including extermination and persecution. Graphic accounts describe female guards conducting invasive strip-searches on pregnant Palestinian women and denying detainees basic sanitary necessities during interrogations.
Evidence for the International Criminal Court
The meticulous documentation provided by the Commission of Inquiry is designed to create a legal trail for future prosecutions. These findings are intended to bolster accountability by providing evidence that prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) or other international jurisdictions can use to try perpetrators of war crimes.
By framing these acts as crimes against humanity and genocide, the UN experts are attempting to move the discourse from political disagreement to legal liability. This approach mirrors previous international efforts to document atrcoities in conflict zones to ensure that military immunity does not shield high-ranking officials from justice .
Geneva's call for the commission's dissolution
Israel has vehemently rejected these findings, with the Israeli mission in Geneva calling for the complete dissolution of the commission. As reported by the Associated Press, the mission stated on X that the report is part of a misinformation campaign designed to demonize the state of Israel and criminalize its existence.
A critical gap remains regarding the verification of these claims; the Associated Press noted it could not independently corroborate the graphic accounts of sexual assault by soldiers and guards since October 2023. Whether these accounts can be verified by neutral third parties remains a central point of contention between the UN experts and the Israeli government.
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