Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Israel is acting systematically and deliberately to destroy Palestinian society in the Gaza Strip. The “Our Genocide” report is based on documentation and research by Palestinians and Jewish-Israelis working together out of a shared moral commitment to human rights. Genocide is the violent and deliberate destruction of a distinct group in whole or in part, or an attempt to destroy it, whether physically, socially or economically. It does not require the mass killing of all members of the group, but rather refers to any act committed as part of an intention to destroy the society and render its continued existence impossible. Israel is inflicting a system of total destruction in Gaza: – Mass killing of civilians – Forced displacement of millions – Destruction of homes and infrastructure – Starvation as a weapon – Bombing of hospitals and clinics – Erasure of schools, universities, and cultural institutions – Collapse of every civil system that sustains life This is not “collateral damage.” It is the deliberate dismantling of a society. Genocide is not only about what is done – it is about why it is done. In Gaza, destruction is not limited to military targets, it is directed at Palestinian life itself. Civilians are killed because they are Palestinians. Children are starved because they are Palestinian. Homes are flattened not to win a battle, but to ensure that there is no life to return to. The genocide in Gaza cannot be understood in isolation. It builds on decades of occupation, apartheid, and the systematic dehumanization of Palestinians. Israel’s regime of Jewish supremacy laid the ideological and political groundwork for this moment, shifting from domination to erasure. The horrific Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, accelerated a process already in motion and served as a catalytic moment in which the Israeli regime shifted from a system of violent control to overt genocide. The trauma suffered by Israeli society and fear it generated were instrumentalized by Israel’s extremist, far-right government to advance policies that key actors had long sought to implement. It provided the justification for every action undertaken by Israel in Gaza since. The language of vengeance and elimination became common in Israeli discourse, as explicitly declared by senior political and military officials. The actions of the Israeli military in Gaza were not a deviation, but the direct and almost verbatim execution of those threats. The same regime, commanders and army are also intensifying violence in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and within Israel. Across all of these areas, Palestinians face mounting violence, forced displacement and collective punishment. While the genocide is committed in Gaza, the appropriate trigger could cause it to spread rapidly to other areas controlled by Israel. There is no mechanism in place to prevent Israel from harming Palestinians, who have been left with no protection. This is genocide and it is happening now, in real time and in full view of the entire world. Genocide must be named, and everything must be done in order to stop it. There can be no justification or explanation for genocide. Read the full report, “Our Genocide” >> btselem.org/publications/202…