UN Commission accusses Israel of genocide in Gaza, crimes against humanity in West Bank

A United Nations independent commission of inquiry has accused Israel of continuing genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza despite a ceasefire, while documenting alleged crimes against humanity, including extermination, torture and rape, in the occupied West Bank.

In a report released on Monday, a day before the general election in Israel, the commission said Israeli military operations and settler violence in the West Bank had escalated significantly since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. It described the violence against Palestinian civilians as widespread and systematic, alleging that Israeli authorities had pursued a policy of collective punishment.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the
Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel mainly examined killing and causing bodily and mental harm by members of the security forces of the State of Israel and of the State of Palestine since October 2023.

The report also accused Israeli forces of using sexual violence, inflicting severe physical and psychological harm, and destroying homes as part of a broader pattern of persecution and forced displacement. It highlighted a sharp increase in Palestinian deaths from air strikes in the West Bank, with 254 people reportedly killed between October 2023 and September 2026, compared with six between 2008 and October 2023.

Violence continues in Gaza despite ceasefire

The commission reaffirmed its September 2025 conclusion that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza and said alleged genocidal acts had continued despite the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025.

According to the report, 1,431 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 137 in the West Bank between the start of the ceasefire and the end of September 2026, including approximately 300 children.

The report states that over 72,600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and over 1,000 in the West Bank between 7 October 2023 to 9 October 2025, while nearly the entire population of the territory has been displaced. 

Medical officials also reported that Israeli air strikes killed at least five Palestinians, including a seven-year-old girl, on Monday. The commission said Israeli military control over parts of Gaza continued to expose civilians to lethal force, particularly those approaching or crossing the so-called Yellow Line separating Israeli-controlled areas.

West Bank crackdown raises displacement concerns

The report was released amid an Israeli security crackdown in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, following a shooting near the city. Israeli authorities imposed a lockdown on Friday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing plans to extend the restrictions across the West Bank.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned the measures, warning that threats to empty and erase neighbourhoods raised serious concerns about possible ethnic cleansing.

According to Türk, the lockdown had forcibly displaced more than 2,000 Palestinians, restricted freedom of movement and resulted in home demolitions. He called for an end to disproportionate force and urged Israel to allow displaced residents to return and provide compensation for unlawful evictions and demolitions.

The commission also reported that Israeli military operations launched in January 2025 had displaced more than 34,000 Palestinians by August 2026, describing the displacement as the largest in the West Bank since 1967.

Israel rejects the findings

Israel’s permanent mission in Geneva rejected the report, describing it as a campaign of misinformation intended to demonise the country and portray its existence as criminal. Israeli officials urged the international community to reject the commission’s conclusions.

The commission, established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, is an independent investigative body and does not represent the entire United Nations. Its findings add to international scrutiny of Israel’s military conduct, while the International Court of Justice has yet to deliver a final judgment in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.

Palestinian authority also criticised

The report also examined alleged abuses by Palestinian security forces, including the targeting of people who expressed dissent and the use of excessive force during security operations. It said violence against journalists and human rights defenders had increasingly restricted space for civil society.

Palestinian representatives said the Palestinian Authority was committed to respecting human rights and addressing misconduct.
The commission’s latest findings have renewed international debate over civilian protection, forced displacement and accountability for alleged violations of international law in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, despite claims that the ceasefire has reduced hostilities.