Israel’s warfare methods in Gaza ‘consistent with genocide’: UN committee

Report says Israel ‘using starvation arsenic a method of warfare and inflicting corporate reward connected nan Palestinian population’.

Israel’s warfare successful nan Gaza Strip is accordant pinch nan characteristics of genocide, a United Nations committee has said, accusing nan state of “using starvation arsenic a method of war”.

In a study published connected Thursday, nan UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices accused nan state of “using starvation arsenic a method of war”, resulting successful “mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions” for Palestinians.

“Since nan opening of nan war, Israeli officials person publically supported policies that portion Palestinians of nan very necessities required to prolong life – food, water, and fuel,” it said.

“These statements on pinch nan systematic and unlawful interference of humanitarian assistance make clear Israel’s intent to instrumentalise life-saving supplies for governmental and subject gains.”

Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s warfare successful Gaza has killed astatine slightest 43,736 Palestinians and wounded 103,370, nan enclave’s Ministry of Health said connected Thursday.

The latest UN study reflects that published successful March by UN Special Rapporteur connected nan occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese, who concluded that location are “reasonable grounds” to judge Israel is committing genocide successful Gaza.

It covers nan first 9 months of Israel’s warfare successful Gaza, which followed nan Hamas-led onslaught successful confederate Israel successful October 2023 successful which an estimated 1,139 group were killed and much than 200 taken captive.

The study besides pointed retired that contempt repeated UN appeals arsenic good arsenic binding orders from nan International Court of Justice and UN Security Council Resolutions, Israel continued to inflict “collective punishment” connected nan Palestinian population.

Israel’s extended bombing run successful Gaza has “decimated basal services” and “unleashed an biology catastrophe … that will person lasting wellness impacts”, it said.

By early 2024, much than 25,000 tonnes of explosives – balanced to 2 atomic bombs – had been dropped connected Gaza, “causing monolithic demolition and nan illness of h2o and sanitation systems, cultivation devastation, and toxic pollution”, nan study said.

An Al Jazeera investigation recovered that wrong 1 twelvemonth of war, nan measurement of explosives dropped connected Gaza had accrued to an estimated 75,000 tonnes, producing much than 42 cardinal tonnes of debris.

At nan aforesaid time, nan bombings besides destroyed 114 hospitals and clinics and killed much than 986 aesculapian workers including 165 doctors, 260 nurses, 184 wellness associates, 76 pharmacists and 300 guidance and support staff, arsenic good arsenic 85 Palestinian Civil Defence workers mostly progressive successful search-and-rescue operations.

The study additionally raised “serious concerns” astir Israel’s usage of artificial intelligence (AI) successful conflict that killed not only Hamas fighters but besides civilians, including galore women and children.

“The Israeli military’s usage of AI-assisted targeting, pinch minimal quality oversight, mixed pinch dense bombs, underscores Israel’s disregard of its responsibility to separate betwixt civilians and combatants and return capable safeguards to forestall civilian deaths,” nan committee said.

An Al Jazeera investigation revealed successful April that nan AI-assisted strategy called Lavender was responsible for drafting up termination lists of “as galore arsenic 37,000 targets”.

Meanwhile, nan UN committee accused Israel of escalating media censorship and suppressing dissent during nan war, adding that its “targeting of journalists are deliberate efforts to artifact world entree to information” astir what’s happening connected nan crushed successful Gaza.

“This deliberate silencing of reporting, mixed pinch disinformation and attacks connected humanitarian workers, is simply a clear strategy to undermine nan captious activity of nan UN, sever nan lifeline of assistance still reaching Gaza, and dismantle nan world ineligible order,” it added.

The study urged each UN personnel states to uphold their ineligible obligations and extremity Israel’s violations of world rule and clasp it accountable.