The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) has adopted a resolution, asserting that Israel’s “policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide.”
Referencing “Article II of the United Nations Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide” in its conclusions, the resolution contends that Israel’s responses to the terrorist assault carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023, have not solely focused on Hamas “but have also affected the entire population of Gaza.”
“The Israeli government has carried out systematic and widespread crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide, encompassing indiscriminate and intentional assaults on civilians and civilian infrastructure,” the association stated in the resolution approved on August 31.
To elaborate on its findings, the IAGS contended that Israel has “compulsorily displaced almost all of the 2.3 million Palestinians within the Gaza Strip on numerous occasions” and pointed to estimates suggesting over 90% of the housing infrastructure in the area has been demolished.
Onur Uraz, who chairs the IAGS Resolutions Committee, verified to TIME that 86% of the association’s members endorsed the resolution. “Given the abundance of U.N. and NGO reports corroborating this conclusion, the process for this resolution was among the most straightforward,” he commented.
“This represents a conclusive declaration from specialists in genocide studies that the situation unfolding in Gaza constitutes genocide,” stated Melanie O’Brien, president of IAGS, on Monday.
Article II of the 1948 U.N. Convention defines genocide “as a crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, either entirely or partially.” It specifically excludes political groups or what is referred to as “cultural genocide.”
The Palestinian Government Media Office expressed its approval of the IAGS’ decision in a statement reviewed by TIME.
Israel has consistently and vehemently rejected claims that its activities in Gaza amount to genocide, asserting its right to self-defense.
A communication from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office characterized allegations of genocide as “absurd” and a “clear untruth” on a previous occasion.
Israel has been confronted with genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), with the case having been initiated in December 2023. Additionally, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
TIME has contacted Netanyahu’s office and Israel’s Foreign Ministry seeking their comments.
The IAGS resolution emerges amid Israel’s intensified military expansion in Gaza City, a strategy that has drawn considerable condemnation from international leaders and humanitarian bodies. Widespread criticism was directed at Israel following the announcement of this expansion.
Moreover, escalating worries persist regarding the humanitarian crisis, especially after a U.N.-backed food security organization reported that famine is occurring in Gaza City for the first time since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war.
The Israel-Hamas conflict commenced following a terror attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, which claimed over 1,200 lives and involved the capture of approximately 250 hostages. Since the war’s outset, more than 63,000 Palestinians have been killed; 348 of these fatalities were due to “starvation and malnutrition,” as reported by local authorities.
Due to the lack of independent oversight on the ground, the ministry serves as the main provider of casualty figures, which are utilized by humanitarian organizations, journalists, and international agencies. Its statistics do not distinguish between civilians and combatants and TIME cannot independently confirm them. Information from the IDF, however, presents a contrasting perspective.