A resolution formally declaring that Israel’s military operations in Gaza constitute genocide has been overwhelmingly adopted by the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS). The motion, supported by 86% of the voting members within the 500-member organization, asserts that the evidence on the ground aligns with the legal criteria for the crime.
The adopted text states that Israeli policies and actions fulfill the definition of genocide as outlined in the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention. The resolution calls for an immediate cessation of all acts it identifies as genocidal, including deliberate attacks on civilians, the imposition of starvation, the blocking of essential humanitarian supplies, and the forced displacement of the population.
The IAGS, a body of academics and experts in the field of genocide studies founded in 1994, acknowledged the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, as constituting international crimes. However, the resolution concludes that the subsequent response by the Israeli government has been systematic and widespread, amounting to crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide.
The president of the association characterized the vote as a definitive expert judgment on the situation. The organization has a history of issuing such resolutions on historical cases, including the Armenian genocide.
The UN Genocide Convention, established after the Holocaust, defines genocide as acts committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. It places a legal obligation on signatory states to prevent and punish such crimes.
This scholarly declaration comes as Israel faces separate legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice over genocide allegations. The International Criminal Court has also previously issued arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders.
