GENEVA: A United Nations investigation concluded Thursday that Israel committed "genocidal" acts in Gaza, specifically through the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive health care facilities. The UN Commission of Inquiry said Israel "intentionally attacked and destroyed" Gaza’s main fertility center and simultaneously imposed a siege, blocking aid, including medication essential for safe pregnancies, deliveries, and neonatal care.
“The destruction of reproductive health care in Gaza has inflicted long-term damage on the Palestinian population, amounting to two categories of genocidal acts,” said Navi Pillay, the commission’s chair, noting that these actions fit the UN’s definition of genocide under its convention. According to the commission, the Israeli actions deliberately aimed to “prevent births within the group” and “inflicted conditions calculated to bring about its physical destruction.”
The report detailed the destruction of maternity hospitals, wards, and the Al-Basma IVF Center, Gaza’s primary fertility clinic, which was shelled in December 2023. The attack reportedly destroyed around 4,000 embryos stored at the clinic, which served thousands of patients. The commission found no credible evidence that the building was used for military purposes and concluded that the attack was “a measure intended to prevent births among Palestinians in Gaza.”
In response to the report, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem echoed the commission’s findings, calling the actions “genocidal acts” and a clear violation of international humanitarian law. “The atrocities committed by the occupation (Israel) are too horrific to be fully captured in this report, underscoring the urgent need to expedite the prosecution of its leaders for these crimes and ensure their swift trial at the International Criminal Court,” Qassem said. Hamas had previously launched attacks on Israel, which led to Israel's ongoing military actions in Gaza following the Hamas assault on October 7, 2023.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the UN report, calling the allegations "false and absurd." He said the report was part of a political agenda aimed at tarnishing Israel’s image.
The commission's findings, supported by testimonies from victims and witnesses of sexual violence, added that Israel’s actions against Palestinian women and girls during the conflict amounted to crimes against humanity. Women have suffered complications due to the lack of access to reproductive health services, and the Israeli forces’ actions have included forced public stripping, sexual harassment, and assault.
