The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), the world’s leading body of experts on genocide research and law, has formally declared that Israel’s military onslaught in Gaza meets the legal definition of genocide under international law.
In a resolution passed this week, 86 percent of voting members affirmed that Israel’s conduct in Gaza satisfies the criteria outlined in Article II of the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The resolution cites systematic killings, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and conditions imposed on the population that are “calculated to bring about its physical destruction.”
Founded in 1994, IAGS has previously recognized nine cases of genocide, including those committed against the Armenians, Yazidis, and Rohingya.
This latest resolution marks a significant escalation in global academic condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The declaration echoes legal proceedings initiated by South Africa, which filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023.
The 84-page submission accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention through mass killings and the deliberate creation of life-threatening conditions for Palestinians in Gaza.
In early 2024, the ICJ issued a preliminary ruling ordering Israel to take immediate steps to prevent genocide and halt incitement. The Court rejected Israel’s attempt to dismiss the case, affirming the plausibility of South Africa’s claims.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have carried out a sustained military assault on Gaza, resulting in the deaths of more than 63,000 Palestinians, most of them children and women, and injuring over 160,000 others.
Thousands remain trapped under rubble or unreachable due to the collapse of emergency services and continued bombardment.
The IAGS resolution adds to mounting international pressure for accountability, as legal scholars, human rights organizations, and governments increasingly call for independent investigations and enforcement of international humanitarian law.
