Israel is committing a genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the human rights group Amnesty International said on Wednesday, in a campaign that’s benefited from huge military and diplomatic support from the United States.
The declaration from Amnesty, an influential watchdog organization with wide international reach and respect, represents a significant addition to the chorus of accusations that the U.S.-backed Israeli offensive constitutes a genocide – one of the gravest possible violations. Its decision was based on more than 200 interviews and a review of visual and digital documentation of Israeli conduct in Gaza, as well as media coverage, reports by the United Nations and humanitarian organizations and statements by Israeli officials and Palestinian groups in Gaza.
“Amnesty International concedes that identifying genocide in armed conflict is complex and challenging, because of the multiple objectives that may exist simultaneously. Nonetheless, it is critical to recognize genocide when it occurs in the context of armed conflict, and to insist that war can never excuse it,” the group’s report reads.