Two leading Israeli human rights organizations, B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), have accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. According to their reports, released on Monday, Israel has been targeting civilians simply because of their Palestinian identity, causing serious damage to Palestinian society after nearly two years of war. The reports describe crimes such as killing women, children and the elderly, mass displacement, causing famine and destroying homes and civilian infrastructure, depriving Palestinians of health care, education and other basic rights, The Guardian reported.

"We see a clear, deliberate attack on civilians to destroy the group," uvedla pro list Yuli Novakováthe director of B'Tselem, and called for immediate action. "Genocide is not just a legal crime, it is a social and political phenomenon."

The PHR report details an attack on the health system in Gaza that itself violates Article 2c of the Genocide Convention, which prohibits the deliberate creation of living conditions conducive to the destruction of a group.

"Not all the articles of the Genocide Convention have to be fulfilled to constitute genocide," uvedl ředitel PHR Guy Shalev, although the report mentions other genocidal aspects of the war.

Both organisations claim that Israel's Western allies are enabling the genocidal campaign and are responsible for the suffering in Gaza.

"It could not have happened without the support of the West," Novak said. "Any leader who doesn't do everything to stop it is part of this horror."

"Every tool should be used. This is not just our opinion, it is required by the Genocide Convention," dodal Shalev.

Israel denies that it is committing genocide and claims that the war is self-defense after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped more than 250 into Gaza. The key to proving genocide is the state's intent to destroy the group, even partially. Both organizations state that genocidal statements by Israeli politicians and military leaders, along with the chronology of the impact on civilians, prove this intent, even without direct orders from above.

"Genocidal intent can be inferred from behavior," the PHR report states, citing precedent from the Rwanda tribunal.

Documentation from doctors, the media and human rights organizations shows that Israel could not have been ignorant of the consequences of its actions.

"From day one, Israeli leaders have openly talked about 'human animals' and that there are 'no civilians' in Gaza or that the entire nation is responsible for October 7," řekla Novaková.

The destruction of health infrastructure and the killing of health workers means that the effects of the genocide will continue after the ceasefire.

"There have been no MRI machines in Gaza for months, so what about all the undiagnosed diseases? We will see the effects of malnutrition and untreated chronic diseases for years to come," uvedl Shalev.

The death toll in Gaza is close to 60,000, which is over 2.5 % of the pre-war population. Novak stressed that genocide does not mean killing everyone, but targeting a group, even partially. B'Tselem warned that the genocidal campaign could spread to the West Bank, where violence has been escalating and Palestinians have been displaced since 7 October 2023.

"We are concerned that any small trigger could transfer the genocide from Gaza to the West Bank," varovala Novaková.

The Guardian/gnews.cz - GH