UN Accuses Israel of ‘Genocidal Acts’ and Using Sexual Violence as a War Tactic in Gaza

A UN report accuses Israel of committing “genocidal acts” and using sexual violence as a war tactic in Gaza. It highlights attacks on reproductive health facilities, including the destruction of Gaza’s main IVF clinic, and claims that Israeli forces have restricted medical access, causing harm to pregnant women and new mothers. Testimonies describe sexual violence against Palestinian detainees, including forced stripping and abuse, which the UN alleges are intended to punish and subjugate Palestinians collectively.

Israel’s government has rejected the findings, calling them false, biased, and antisemitic, with Prime Minister Netanyahu criticizing the UN for failing to investigate Hamas’ October 7 attacks. The report also cites the destruction of the Al-Basma IVF center as an attempt to prevent Palestinian births, which the UN says qualifies as genocide under international law. Israel denies that the clinic was a military target. The commission verified cases of Palestinian detainees suffering sexualized torture, and some Israeli soldiers now face charges over alleged abuse.

However, Israel argues that the report relies on unverified and second-hand sources and that the UN inquiry applied double standards compared to investigations into Hamas. In February 2025, Israel withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council. The UN has called for an end to the war and the lifting of humanitarian aid restrictions. While Israel remains a signatory to the Genocide Convention, it does not recognize the ICC’s authority. The controversy adds to growing international criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

UN Accuses Israel of ‘Genocidal Acts’ and Using Sexual Violence as a War Tactic in Gaza

The United Nations (UN) has published a report accusing Israeli forces of committing acts that could amount to genocide and using sexual violence as a tactic in the Gaza conflict. Released by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, the document alleges that Israel deliberately targeted healthcare infrastructure, blocked medical access, and carried out organized sexual abuse against Palestinians. These actions, the report claims, may constitute crimes against humanity.

One of the most striking accusations involves the destruction of Gaza’s primary IVF clinic, Al-Basma, which housed thousands of embryos and reproductive materials. The UN argues that this was not a military necessity but a calculated effort to reduce Palestinian births—a move that aligns with the international legal definition of genocide. The report also highlights attacks on maternity centers, restrictions on lifesaving medications, and the systematic humiliation and physical abuse of Palestinian detainees, particularly men and boys. Witness accounts describe forced nudity, sexual harassment, and other forms of degrading treatment in detention centers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fiercely denied the allegations, labeling the report as “biased,” “false,” and rooted in antisemitism. He criticized the UN for overlooking Hamas’s actions, including the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israeli civilians, which he claims the inquiry has not adequately addressed. Israel’s UN mission echoed these sentiments, accusing the commission of applying unfair standards by scrutinizing Israel more harshly than Hamas. The mission also emphasized Israel’s strict military codes of conduct and dismissed the report’s findings as based on unreliable or unverified sources.

The UN report underscores that blocking access to reproductive healthcare and destroying medical facilities could be seen as intentional measures to suppress Palestinian population growth. By linking these actions to the legal criteria for genocide—which includes preventing births within a specific group—the commission suggests that Israel’s conduct may violate international law. Additionally, the documented sexual violence, described as widespread and systematic, raises further concerns about potential war crimes.

Israel, while a signatory to the 1948 Genocide Convention, does not recognize the authority of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which prosecutes genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute. This stance complicates potential legal accountability, as the ICC lacks jurisdiction over Israeli citizens without the government’s cooperation. Meanwhile, the UN has called for international action to investigate the allegations and hold perpetrators accountable, urging third-party countries to intervene under global human rights laws.

The report has intensified debates over the Gaza conflict, with human rights groups demanding justice for victims and Israeli officials dismissing the inquiry as politically motivated. Critics argue that the UN’s focus on Israel diverts attention from Hamas’s role in escalating violence, including rocket attacks and the alleged use of civilian areas for military operations. Supporters of the report, however, stress the need to address humanitarian violations regardless of the perpetrator, emphasizing the urgency of protecting civilians in prolonged conflicts.

As the international community grapples with these claims, the situation highlights the challenges of achieving impartial accountability in deeply polarized conflicts. The UN’s findings add pressure on global leaders to reassess their stance on the war, balancing diplomatic relations with human rights obligations. For now, the allegations remain contentious, with both sides entrenched in their narratives, while Gaza’s civilian population continues to bear the brunt of the ongoing violence and instability.

This report marks one of the strongest condemnations of Israel’s military actions by a UN body, reflecting broader concerns about the humanitarian toll of the conflict. Whether it leads to concrete legal steps or shifts in international policy, however, depends on the complex interplay of geopolitics, legal frameworks, and the pursuit of evidence-based justice. For Palestinians in Gaza, the immediate need remains access to safety, healthcare, and an end to a conflict that has devastated lives and infrastructure for generations.