Israel’s genocide in Gaza is fully intentional & other takeaways from the Amnesty International report
The bodies of victims in the courtyard of Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahya, northern Gaza, following an Israeli strike on 6 December 2024
Jonathan Ofir writes in Mondoweiss on 7 December 2024:
Wednesday, a landmark report was issued by Amnesty International, titled: ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza.”
Amnesty is unequivocal – Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Agnés Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General presented the report with uncompromising terms. There are no ifs and buts, Israel has been committing genocide, it still is:
“Amnesty International’s report demonstrates that Israel has carried out acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza,” Callamard said. “These acts include killings, causing serious bodily or mental harm and deliberately inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction. Month after month, Israel has treated Palestinians in Gaza as a subhuman group unworthy of human rights and dignity, demonstrating its intent to physically destroy them.”
Israel’s intent to commit genocide
The crime of Genocide is known as the “crime of crimes”, and it is also considered the crime against humanity which demands the highest level of proof as to intent. It is not enough to refer to acts which in themselves may fall under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (‘Genocide convention’) – genocidal intent must be proven as the only possible conclusion of the analysis.
This is why the reports conclusive language is so important, it says:
“There is only one reasonable inference that can be drawn from the evidence presented: genocidal intent has been part and parcel of Israel’s conduct in Gaza since 7 October 2023, including its military campaign.”