UN commission of inquiry accuses Israeli president, prime minister of inciting genocide in Gaza

A United Nations commission of inquiry has accused Israel of committing acts of genocide in Gaza and directly blamed senior Israeli leaders for inciting it. 

In a report published on Tuesday during the UN General Assembly in New York, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory said that both Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had incited genocide against Palestinians.

The report concluded that the Israeli government has shown a clear and consistent intention to maintain permanent control over Gaza and ensure a Jewish majority in the occupied West Bank and within Israel itself — including East Jerusalem.

The report said this aim appears to be part of a broader strategy to maintain a Jewish demographic majority across the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel, while preventing any potential Palestinian self-determination and statehood and maintaining an indefinite occupation. This was reflected in repeated efforts to forcibly transfer Palestinians, expand Israeli Jewish settlements, and declare intentions to annex the entire West Bank.

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According to the commission, Israel has committed four acts of genocide in Gaza, carried out by Israeli officials and security forces with the specific intention of eliminating the Palestinian population in the territory.

The report said: “Actions of Israeli leaders are attributable to the State of Israel; therefore, as a State, Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide, for failing to prevent it, and for failing to punish it.”

The Commission also “found that the Israeli President, Prime Minister and former Defence Minister have incited the commission of genocide.”

The commission further found that Israeli authorities have been systematically destroying Gaza’s civilian infrastructure and expanding the areas under their control. By July 2025, the report said, Israel had taken control of 75 per cent of the Gaza Strip.

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