In a groundbreaking report released on March 13, 2025, the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has accused Israel of committing genocidal acts by deliberately targeting hospitals and reproductive health facilities in Gaza. This includes airstrikes on institutions like Al Basma I.V.F. Center, Gaza’s largest fertility clinic, resulting in the destruction of thousands of embryos.
The commission, established by the Human Rights Council in 2021, brings to light how these actions are part of a broader systematic effort by Israeli authorities that undermine the reproductive capacity of Palestinians in Gaza. The report, which stems from extensive interviews, witness testimonies, and investigations conducted after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, marks a historic assertion by a U.N. body—identifying these acts as genocidal under international law frameworks.
Israeli officials have swiftly refuted the report, characterizing it as a biased attack, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing the U.N. Human Rights Council of misrepresenting facts to further a political agenda. The report focuses specifically on measures that the commission claims are aimed at preventing births within the Palestinian population, positioning these actions under the definitions provided by the Rome Statute and the Genocide Convention.
As these tensions continue to escalate with the ongoing conflict, the international community is called to confront the implications of this report and seek accountability for actions that endanger the very foundations of human rights and dignity in conflict zones.
The commission, established by the Human Rights Council in 2021, brings to light how these actions are part of a broader systematic effort by Israeli authorities that undermine the reproductive capacity of Palestinians in Gaza. The report, which stems from extensive interviews, witness testimonies, and investigations conducted after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, marks a historic assertion by a U.N. body—identifying these acts as genocidal under international law frameworks.
Israeli officials have swiftly refuted the report, characterizing it as a biased attack, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing the U.N. Human Rights Council of misrepresenting facts to further a political agenda. The report focuses specifically on measures that the commission claims are aimed at preventing births within the Palestinian population, positioning these actions under the definitions provided by the Rome Statute and the Genocide Convention.
As these tensions continue to escalate with the ongoing conflict, the international community is called to confront the implications of this report and seek accountability for actions that endanger the very foundations of human rights and dignity in conflict zones.
