TRANSCRIPT:
Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
That's the finding of a team of independent experts commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The chair of the Commission of Inquiry, Navi Pillay, outlined the group's findings.
"The goal of the Israeli government is abundantly clear as we continue to witness the destruction of Palestinians in Gaza. The Commission finds it is genocide."
She has detailed the specific acts identified in the report as breaches of the genocide convention.
"One, killing members of the Group; 2, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; 3, deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and 4, imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group."
This evidence aligns with the position of the majority of genocide scholars, and may add weight to South Africa's genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.
Senior political figures have also been accused of inciting genocide.
They include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who's facing war crimes charges in the International Criminal Court, Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
Israel's Ambassador to Geneva, Daniel Meron, has dismissed the report's findings, calling them "scandalous" and "fake" - and suggesting it has been authorised by what he called "Hamas proxies".
"Israel categorically rejects the libellous rant published today by this commission of inquiry. It spreads malicious, the malicious genocide narrative. The report diverges from the mandate of the commission, yet again stressing their biased analysis.”
The latest genocide accusations came just hours before Israel announced an intensification of its ground assault on Gaza City.
Israeli authorities say four ground divisions will advance towards the heart of the city in coming days, intensifying fears civilian casualties will rise even further.
The Gaza health ministry says Israel has killed just under 64,500 Palestinians since launching its military campaign in the wake of the cross-border attacks launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
This is Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin.
"Tonight, in accordance with the directive of the political leadership, we launched the next stage of the major operation. The objective of the operation is the return of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas in Gaza City."
An Israeli Defence Forces Official told Reuters news agency the IDF believes 3,000 Hamas combatants remain in the city.
But hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians are also sheltering in Gaza City, which is being gripped by famine, according to a key UN backed food security monitor known as the IPC.
Brigadier General Defrin denies there is starvation in the Gaza Strip - but the finding has been widely accepted, including by Australia's government.
Nasser al-Nabieh is among those in Gaza City being faced with the decision of whether to remain there or flee.
“The situation in Gaza, even if you want us to be patient, and to endure, there is no water, or charity kitchens, no food and no life. How do you want us to be steadfast? Tell me, how would you want me to be steadfast? Should I die? There is no water. What do they want from us? We have been dying for two years. Leave us alone. Enough. Enough.”
With 20 out of 48 hostages believed to still be alive, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says any harm to hostages will result in further escalation.
"If they hit one hair on the head of one hostage, we will hunt them down even harder, for the rest of their lives, and that end will be much quicker than they think, much quicker. You should know, this is what I say to the leaders of Hamas. You won't have shelter anyway, but our efforts to reach you will be doubled and we will reach you much faster than you think."
The families of the remaining hostages - including Anat Angrest , whose son remains captive - have slammed the approach being taken by the Israeli government.
"Yesterday evening, the bombings on Gaza intensified. Our loved ones in Gaza are being bombarded by the IDF under the orders of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has decided to send IDF soldiers to areas where our loved ones are located, who might be harmed and not return alive. He is doing everything to ensure there is no deal and not to bring them back.”
Meanwhile, hope of reaching a ceasefire through diplomatic means has waned in the past week, since Israel bombed the city of Doha in Qatar, targeting the political leadership of Hamas.
It has driven a wedge between two key US allies in the region, with the Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani slamming the strike as a violation of his country's sovereignty.
“It is time for the international community to stop applying double standards and punish Israel for all the crimes it has committed. Israel should understand that its genocidal wars that target our brotherly Palestinians with the goal of uprooting them from their own land and displace them will not succeed no matter what Israel says to justify it.”
Qatar has been a key mediator throughout the conflict, and says it will continue to work in this role, despite tensions flaring as Israel continues its military bombardment.
The strikes on Doha prompted an emergency summit of Arab leaders - who roundly condemned the strike but largely failed to agree on a unified course of action.
A statement released after the summit called on the international community to take measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions in Gaza.
Navi Pillay, from the UN inquiry that has declared Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, has outlined the specific actions states can take.
"We recommend all member states, especially those with influence over Israel, to effect an immediate halt to the killing and harming of civilians in Gaza, to guarantee humanitarian access to Gaza, and to prevent further destruction of life and suspend arms transfers or financial assistance that could contribute to further genocidal acts."
The European Commission will consider sanctions and a partial trade suspension against Israel at a meeting later today.
Commission president Ursula von der Leyen explained last week why she's pushing for sanctions.
"What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world. People killed while begging for food, mothers holding lifeless babies. These images are simply catastrophic. So I want to start with a very clear message. Man-made famine can never be a weapon of war for the sake of the children, for the sake of humanity, this must stop!"
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong responded to the commission's report in a statement, saying "the situation in Gaza had gone beyond the world’s worst fears".
She says Australia has "condemned Israel’s denial of aid and the killing of civilians seeking to access water and food" and that the "Netanyahu Government is more isolated than ever".
Ms Wong says questions about compliance with the Genocide Convention will be judged by the International Court of Justice.
