The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), one of the world’s leading academic bodies specializing in the study of genocide, has confirmed that what has been unfolding in Gaza for nearly two years clearly amounts to a full-scale genocide.
In its latest decision, the IAGS stressed that the usurping entity has adopted a systematic policy of large-scale crimes against humanity, manifested in the deliberate killing of civilians and the destruction of essential civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, homes, and commercial buildings. According to the report, these policies have led to the killing of more than 59,000 Palestinians in Gaza, thousands among them are children, with thousands more still under the rubble, in addition to over 143,000 injured, many with permanent disabilities and amputations.
Widespread Crimes Against Civilians
The decision documented multiple crimes committed by the usurping entity, including torture, arbitrary detention, sexual violence, and the deliberate deprivation of food, water, medicine, and electricity — all essentials for survival. It also confirmed the deliberate targeting of medical staff, aid workers, and journalists, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
Forced displacement was also highlighted, as nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced multiple times, with more than 90% of housing infrastructure destroyed. Schools, universities, libraries, and cultural institutions have been demolished in what was described as an attempt to erase Palestinian collective identity.
Targeting Children: A Hallmark of Genocide
The association emphasized that the killing and injuring of over 50,000 children amounts to genocide, given that children are vital for the survival of any group. Destroying an entire generation, the report warned, means destroying the future of the Palestinian people as a whole.
Clear Intent to Destroy
The IAGS linked these atrocities to repeated official statements by leaders of the usurping entity, openly expressing intentions to “flatten Gaza” and turn it into “hell,” while using racist language to describe Palestinians. Such declarations, combined with actions on the ground, were deemed direct evidence of genocidal intent, a core element in the legal definition of genocide.
Calls for Accountability
The report concluded that the policies of the usurping entity fully align with the definition of genocide under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, while also constituting war crimes and crimes against humanity. The IAGS called for an immediate end to these criminal practices, including the deliberate killing of children and women, systematic starvation, and large-scale destruction.
It also urged states parties to the International Criminal Court to implement arrest warrants issued against occupation leaders, cooperate fully with ongoing investigations, and ensure compliance with obligations under international law.
A Moral and Legal Imperative
The IAGS resolution adds scientific and moral weight to a growing body of international human rights positions affirming that Gaza is the target of a deliberate genocidal campaign. With destruction widening and the siege persisting, the report warned that the international community bears a double responsibility: to urgently act to stop the crime and to ensure accountability for its perpetrators before Gaza’s very name is buried under the rubble of annihilation.
