Israel's Genocide in Gaza: A Crime Against Humanity

Strategic Insights -

The international community has long been concerned about Israel's brutal assault on the Palestinian people in Gaza, with many experts and organizations labeling it as genocide. Despite this, pro-Israeli supporters like Elaine Braffman attempt to downplay and distort the facts, ignoring the international law definition of genocide and the horrific suffering of the Palestinian people. However, experts and human rights organizations continue to sound the alarm, calling out Israel's genocidal intent and actions.

Key Takeaways:

  • More than 800 scholars and practitioners of international law and genocide studies signed a public statement in 2024 to sound the alarm about the possibility of genocide being perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in Gaza.
  • Raz Segal, an Israeli scholar of Holocaust and genocidal studies, called Israel's assault on Gaza a textbook case of genocide.
  • Professor Omer Bartov, who had previously served in the Israeli Defense Force, concluded in July 2025 that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.
  • Amnesty International issued a report in December 2024 that Israel has carried out acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.
  • Human Rights Watch stated in a report that Israeli authorities were responsible for the crime against humanity of extermination and for acts of genocide.
  • The International Association of Genocide Scholars declared on August 31, 2025, that Israel's policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide in Article II of the United Nations Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
  • The International Court of Justice ordered Israel to prevent genocide, punish incitement to genocide, and enable provisions of basic services and humanitarian assistance to reach Gaza in January 2024.
  • The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that Gaza has the highest number of journalist deaths since 1992.
  • Brown University's Watson Institute declared the war was "quite simply, the worst ever conflict for reporters" in April 2025.
  • The U.S. government provided $22.76 billion in military-related aid to Israel in the one year ending September 30, 2024, according to the Cost of War Project.
  • The State Department approved $8 billion in additional munitions sales to Israel just before the end of the Trump administration.
  • The conservative death toll in Gaza passed 64,000, including more than 20,000 children and 1,000 babies under one year old, as of September 2025.

Statistics:

  • 800+ scholars and practitioners of international law and genocide studies signed a public statement to sound the alarm about the possibility of genocide being perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in Gaza.
  • 22.76 billion: The amount of military-related aid provided by the U.S. government to Israel in the one year ending September 30, 2024.
  • 64,000: The conservative death toll in Gaza as of September 2025.
  • 20,000+: The number of children killed in Gaza as of September 2025.
  • 1,000+: The number of babies under one year old killed in Gaza as of September 2025.
  • $22.76 billion: The amount of military-related aid provided by the U.S. government to Israel in the one year ending September 30, 2024.
  • $8 billion: The amount of additional munitions sales approved by the State Department just before the end of the Trump administration.
  • $6.75 billion: The amount of munitions sales approved by the State Department in February 2025.
  • $660 million: The value of a missile sales package approved by the State Department in February 2025.
  • $510 million: The value of a sale of Joint Direct Attack Munitions approved by the State Department in July 2025.

Sources:

  • Elaine Braffman, CT Viewpoint 09.03.2025.
  • Raz Segal, Israeli scholar of Holocaust and genocidal studies.
  • Professor Omer Bartov, July 2025.
  • Amnesty International, December 2024 report.
  • Human Rights Watch, report on Israeli authorities' responsibility for the crime against humanity of extermination and for acts of genocide.
  • International Association of Genocide Scholars, August 31, 2025 declaration.
  • International Court of Justice, January 2024 ruling.
  • Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), report on journalist deaths in Gaza.
  • Brown University's Watson Institute, report on the war being "quite simply, the worst ever conflict for reporters".
  • Cost of War Project, report on U.S. military-related aid to Israel.