UN commission says Israel committed war crimes, crimes against humanity

A United Nations commission of inquiry has concluded that Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and continued acts of genocide in Gaza, according to a report submitted to the UN General Assembly.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry said the violations included extermination, persecution, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence.

The report said Israeli authorities and forces continued to commit genocidal acts in Gaza following ceasefire agreements, with the intent to destroy the Palestinian people in whole or in part. It also said the expansion of Israeli territorial control in Gaza continued to cause casualties among civilians approaching or crossing the "Yellow Line".

"The intentional killing and injuring of Palestinian civilians and destruction of homes in the West Bank combined with Israel's persistent denial of responsibility form part of a broader strategy to exterminate and displace Palestinians and impose conditions of life that are unliveable," said Srinivasan Muralidhar, chair of the commission.

Violence and displacement in the West Bank

The commission reported a sharp increase in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank since 7 October 2023, including deaths caused by airstrikes.

It said 254 Palestinians were killed in West Bank airstrikes between 7 October 2023 and 30 September 2026, compared with six between 2008 and 6 October 2023.

The report said Palestinians in the West Bank were targeted on the basis of nationality, race, ethnicity, gender and age. It also described military operations and sustained settler violence as part of a coordinated, widespread and systematic attack against civilians.

According to the commission, torture, rape, reproductive violence and other forms of sexual violence were used with the intent to displace, subjugate and destabilise the Palestinian population.

The commission also said Israeli forces deliberately killed and injured children in the West Bank and Gaza, amounting to age-based persecution.

Military operations since January 2025 triggered the largest displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967, the report said. As of August 2026, 34,176 Palestinians had been displaced.

Historical policies and Palestinian self-determination

The report linked current developments to long-standing territorial policies dating back to 1947-1948.

"Seizing maximum land while minimizing the Palestinian population in relation to size, autonomy and viability stems from Israel's colonising policies and is rooted in historical practices and patterns of action, resulting in the excessive and discriminatory application of lethal force, displacing, injuring and killing Palestinians over generations," Muralidhar said.

"Attempting to equate Palestinian statehood with a threat to the existence of Israel is blocking any viable attempts to realise Palestinians' right to self-determination."

Palestinian Authority's handling of dissent

The commission also examined the conduct of the Palestinian Authority, saying it had suppressed internal political dissent and that journalists and human rights defenders had been killed or injured, narrowing civic space.

It said the authority had failed to carry out impartial investigations or provide financial remedies to victims and their families.

"Despite an increase in unnecessary or disproportionate use of force since 7 October 2023, the Palestinian Authority has failed to conduct effective and impartial investigations into incidents of killings and to ensure effective remedy, including financial compensation to victims and their family members," Muralidhar said.

Commission's recommendations

The commission called on Israel to comply with the International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion, end what it described as the unlawful occupation, remove settlers and settlements, reverse land confiscations and property appropriations, and return seized land to Palestinian owners.

It also urged the Palestinian Authority to stop targeting human rights defenders, conduct independent investigations into violations by Palestinian security forces and provide full remedies to victims.