Amnesty International Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza, Sparking Strong Denials
Amnesty International has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, alleging that its military actions during the war with Hamas have deliberately targeted Palestinians with the intent to destroy them. In a report released Thursday, the human rights group claims that Israel’s actions, including deadly airstrikes, demolitions of vital infrastructure, and blocking the delivery of food and medicine, are part of a calculated effort to bring about the physical destruction of Gaza’s Palestinian population. The report stresses that these actions cannot be justified by the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack or the presence of militants in civilian areas. Amnesty’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, called the findings a “wake-up call” for the international community, urging them to stop arms shipments to Israel, which the group said could be complicit in genocide. In response, Israel vehemently denied the allegations, dismissing the report as a “fabricated” and “false” account, calling the claims antisemitic. Israeli officials maintain that they are at war with Hamas, not the civilian population of Gaza, and that they are adhering to international law, including evacuating civilians before strikes and facilitating aid. The accusations of genocide are part of a growing chorus of international criticism against Israel’s actions in Gaza, with groups such as the United Nations and various humanitarian organizations also raising concerns about the humanitarian crisis in the region.