Amnesty International (AI) published a 300-page report accusing Israel of committing crimes of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The report, titled “It Feels Like We’re Subhuman: The Genocide of Palestinians by Israel in Gaza,” was published December 5. The NGO’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, described it as a “thorough and impartial analysis,” rejecting any suggestion that it is driven by a “political or preferential agenda.”

The report covers a nine-month period—from October 7, 2023, to early July 2024—and drew from interviews with 212 witnesses and a wealth of evidence, including satellite images, photographs, videos, and media content.

A legal demonstration

According to AI, the nature of Israeli military operations in Gaza constituted genocide as defined by international law. The 1948 Genocide Convention, ratified by Israel in 1950, describes genocide as acts committed “with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, as such.” It lists acts that can constitute genocide: killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction, preventing births, and forcibly transferring children.

“It is clear that at least three of these five acts are present,” argued Callamard. AI highlighted several of the acts, including killings and serious injuries, living conditions leading to the destruction of Palestinians, and the specific intent of genocide.

Regarding the war’s human toll, the report noted that of the 40,717 deaths during the period studied, 60% were children, women, or elderly people. AI characterized the deaths as “indiscriminate attacks.” The NGO identified airstrikes that appeared to lack any military objective. Specifically, it analyzed 15 strikes on civilian targets between October 2023 and April 2024, often occurring at night, with evidence of “high-powered bombs.” Eleven of those strikes struck locations south of the Wadi Gaza River, areas made even more overcrowded by displaced populations.

The report also summarized the extensive deprivation endured by Palestinians, with 90% of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents displaced and the population “deprived of essential infrastructure.” AI accused Israeli authorities of “deliberately obstructing or banning the importation and delivery of vital goods and humanitarian aid.” The testimony of Mohamed, a 42-year-old Gaza resident, is highlighted to illustrate the inhumane conditions:

“Here in Deir al-Balah, it feels like the end of the world. There’s no room to pitch a tent, so we have to set it up by the coast. We’re struggling to protect our children from insects and the heat; there’s no clean water, no toilets, and the bombings are relentless. We feel like subhumans here,” Mohamed said.

A declared “annihilation”

On the issue of genocidal intent, AI cited, among others, remarks by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich shortly before the offensive on Rafah in the southern enclave near the Egyptian border. “No half-measures. Rafah, Deir al-Balah, Nuseirat: total annihilation. You shall blot out the memory [of the people] of Amalek from under the heavens,” he stated publicly on April 29, 2024. AI analyzed 102 similar statements made by Israeli government officials, senior military officers, or Knesset members between October 7, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

The NGO identified 22 statements from members of the Israeli war cabinets, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, that “dehumanize Palestinians or justify genocide or other international crimes against them.”

In its argument, the report used terms like “repeated” or “cumulative” 104 times to establish genocidal intent as “the only reasonable conclusion.” While AI appeared firm in assessing the acts committed in Gaza, it denied acting as a court. “We do not claim to replace international justice. The ICJ (International Court of Justice) and the ICC (International Criminal Court) have their roles to play. That does not mean NGOs cannot also contribute,” Callamard said.