More than a year into what Israel terms a “war on Hamas,” the Gaza Strip lies shattered — not merely by the chaos of war but by a deliberate and methodical campaign of extermination. Over 35,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in what can no longer be described as warfare but must now be confronted as what it is: genocide.
What Is Genocide?
According to the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, genocide means acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. These acts include: Killing members of the group, Causing serious bodily or mental harm, Deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction, Imposing measures to prevent births, Forcibly transferring children All of these actions are currently being carried out in Gaza.
Deliberate Destruction — By The Numbers
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have flattened hospitals, schools, refugee camps, churches, mosques, and United Nations facilities. Over 70% of Gaza’s homes are either destroyed or uninhabitable. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to dust in aerial bombardments targeting “militants” that consistently result in mass civilian deaths.
The Israeli government has blocked food, water, medicine, and fuel — enforcing a complete siege on a trapped population of over 2.3 million people. Starvation has become a weapon. In northern Gaza, children have died of hunger, documented by international medical teams.
Genocidal Intent — In Their Own Words
Genocide is not only measured in death tolls — it is also found in intent, and Israel’s leaders have made their intentions disturbingly clear: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant: “We are fighting human animals, and we act accordingly.” Prime Minister Netanyahu, citing the Bible’s Amalekites, has repeatedly invoked religious calls for annihilation. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, “It is an entire nation out there that is responsible,” justifying the killing of civilians.
These are not isolated statements. They reflect a coordinated political and military doctrine that dehumanizes an entire population and justifies their destruction.
International Legal Action
In January 2024, South Africa filed a historic case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing it of genocide. The ICJ agreed that a plausible case of genocide exists, ordering Israel to prevent further killings, destruction, and denial of aid.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has also been petitioned to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. Independent UN experts, including Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, have concluded that Israel is carrying out a calculated genocide in Gaza.
The World Watches in Silence
Despite mounting evidence, Western powers continue to fund, arm, and politically shield Israel. The United States alone has supplied over $14 billion in military aid during this ongoing campaign, including bunker-buster bombs, drones, and precision missiles used in densely populated civilian zones.
Global protests have erupted, but government action remains muted — revealing a disturbing hypocrisy in the so-called “rules-based international order.”
This Is Not Just War. This Is Genocide.
What is happening in Gaza is not a “conflict.” It is not “self-defense.” It is not a war between equals. It is the systematic destruction of a stateless people, cornered and starving, while the world debates terminology.
Genocide is not only something that belongs to history books or courts — it is something happening right now, in real-time, on our screens, in Gaza.
Silence is complicity.
FactSphere remains committed to exposing crimes against humanity and giving voice to the voiceless.