Israel Ministry Rebuts UN Report Accusing State of Genocide

Israel's Foreign Ministry labeled a United Nations commission report released on Monday a "propaganda document detached from reality" that undermines Israel's right to self-defense and delegitimizes the Jewish state. The commission accused Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the West Bank and Gaza. It further alleged that Israel continues to commit "genocidal acts" with the "intent to destroy the Palestinian people, in whole or in part" despite a ceasefire that took effect in October 2025.

The commission reported that Palestinian deaths in the West Bank have averaged nearly 500 people annually since 2022, marking the highest figures recorded since data collection began in 2005. Casualties attributed to military action and settler violence were central to the inquiry's review. Srinivasan Muralidhar, an Indian jurist serving as chair of the Commission of Inquiry, stated, "The intentional killing and injuring of Palestinian civilians and destruction of homes in the West Bank combined with Israel's persistent denial of responsibility form part of a broader strategy to exterminate and displace Palestinians and impose conditions of life that are unliveable."

Airstrike fatalities in the West Bank rose sharply after October 7, 2023. The commission recorded six Palestinians killed by airstrikes between 2008 and October 6, 2023, compared with 254 between October 7, 2023, and September 30, 2026. Strikes increased following the launch of Operation Iron Wall in January 2025, particularly in refugee camps and areas around Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, and Nablus. The commission cited statements by Israeli officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and IDF Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth, in its assessment of military conduct. A May 2026 statement by Bluth noted that soldiers were "killing like we haven't since 1967."

The commission said it verified four additional cases of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees since its March 2025 report, including two victims from the West Bank. One case involved a male detainee at Megiddo Prison in 2025 who was allegedly blindfolded, forced to remove his lower garments, and repeatedly raped with objects during interrogation. The commission concluded that Israeli authorities committed crimes against humanity involving torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. The Foreign Ministry previously rejected allegations regarding sexual and gender-based violence against detainees as unfounded, disputing the commission's verification methods.

The report also accused the Palestinian Authority of suppressing political dissent through arbitrary arrests, detention, torture, and the targeting of journalists and activists. The commission investigated the December 2024 killing of a Palestinian journalism student in the Jenin refugee camp who had documented alleged abuses by Palestinian security forces. Information conflicted on whether clashes were underway at the time. Palestinian security forces blamed the killing on "outlaws," stating the case was under investigation. The commission reported that key witnesses had not been asked to testify.

The commission concluded that the Palestinian Authority violated the right to life and the right to security of person and failed to conduct prompt, effective, and impartial investigations into killings.