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In a groundbreaking moment that could fundamentally shift the narrative surrounding the devastating war on Gaza, two of Israel's most prominent human rights organizations have courageously accused their own state of committing genocide against the Palestinian people. This monumental declaration, made on Monday, July 28, 2025, marks the first time that Jewish-led groups within Israel have publicly leveled such a grave charge during the nearly two-year onslaught that has brought Gaza to its knees.
The damning reports from B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) provide irrefutable evidence that deepens the international legal and moral condemnation of Israel’s actions. For months, Palestinians, their allies, and global human rights bodies have consistently identified Israel’s military campaign as genocidal, a charge now being formally adjudicated at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Until now, despite the overwhelming evidence of destruction, the internal Israeli discourse has largely silenced such accusations, blinded by a narrative of self-defense and the painful historical memory of the Holocaust.
However, the powerful voices of B’Tselem and PHRI shatter this carefully constructed silence. Guy Shalev, director of PHRI, bravely stated, "Perhaps human rights groups based in Israel, and coming to this conclusion, is a way to confront that accusation and get people to acknowledge the reality." This internal challenge to the dominant Israeli narrative is a pivotal step towards truth and justice for Palestinians.
While Israel vehemently denies the accusations, labeling them antisemitic and maintaining its adherence to international law, the reality on the ground in Gaza tells a different story. The Israeli government, which faces international arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, has yet to comment directly on these new reports. Their usual defense, blaming Hamas for civilian casualties by claiming human shields, rings hollow against the backdrop of deliberate destruction.
The meticulously researched reports from B’Tselem and PHRI, compiled from testimonies, documents, and expert analysis despite Israel's refusal to grant them access to Gaza, paint a horrifying picture. B’Tselem argues that Israel’s policy towards Gaza has fundamentally shifted from mere "repression and control to destruction and annihilation" since October 7, 2023. This organization, a longtime critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians and an accuser of apartheid, points to a clear, intentional shift towards wholesale devastation.
PHRI’s report offers a chilling legal-medical analysis, detailing the systematic dismantling of Gaza’s life-sustaining systems—electricity, clean water, and food—which it asserts constitutes "deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part," a textbook definition of genocide under international law.
Both groups highlight how repeated statements by Israeli officials and military figures, openly endorsing the total destruction, starvation, and permanent displacement of Palestinians, combined with on-the-ground policies, demonstrate a clear intent to eradicate Palestinian society. For Israelis, whose national identity is shaped by the "never again" promise of the Holocaust, the stark irony of these accusations should compel a profound self-reflection. Guy Shalev, a grandson of a Holocaust survivor, acknowledged the deep personal pain of reaching this conclusion, yet stressed the moral imperative to confront such a reality.
The accusations emerge amidst an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe of unimaginable scale. As of late July 2025, over 59,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have been killed by Israeli forces, and over 143,000 injured. The vast majority of Gaza’s 2.2 million people have been forcibly displaced, many multiple times, now confined to ever-shrinking "Israeli-militarized zones" where basic necessities are non-existent. Over 70% of Gaza’s infrastructure, including homes, schools, and hospitals, lies in ruins, a testament to the systematic targeting of civilian life. International aid organizations continue to issue dire warnings of imminent famine across the Strip, a direct consequence of Israel’s severe restrictions on humanitarian assistance and its deliberate targeting of food and water sources.
While Israeli public discourse has largely focused on hostage returns, these reports force a wider, more uncomfortable truth upon the conscience of the world. The courage of these Israeli organizations in speaking truth to power is a beacon of hope for justice and accountability. They are calling on the international community, and indeed all people of conscience, to break their silence and actively intervene. As Sarit Michaeli, B’Tselem’s international director, powerfully stated: "We have an obligation to do everything we can to speak the truth about this, to stand by the victims." The time for silence is over; the Palestinian people deserve nothing less than full liberation and justice.
