jordan pulse -

A United Nations investigation concluded on Thursday that Israel committed acts of "genocide" in Gaza through the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities.

The UN Commission of Inquiry found that Israeli authorities "partially destroyed the reproductive capacity of Palestinians in Gaza as a group" by systematically targeting the reproductive health sector, an act that meets two categories of genocide under international law.

Israel's mission in Geneva responded by "categorically rejecting" the accusations.

The UN Genocide Convention defines genocide as acts committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, or religious group, in whole or in part. The investigation determined that Israel engaged in two of the five acts defined as genocide by the convention:

1. Deliberately creating living conditions meant to physically destroy the group.


2. Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.



Long-Term Consequences for Palestinian Women

Committee Chair Navi Pillay stated that these violations have caused "severe direct physical and psychological harm to women and girls", as well as "irreparable long-term consequences for Palestinians' mental health, reproductive health, and fertility as a group."

The UN Human Rights Council established the Independent International Commission of Inquiry in May 2021 to investigate alleged violations of international law in Israel and the Palestinian territories.