Chapter 6: ISRAEL’S ACTIONS IN GAZA (pp. 106-201)

This chapter examines Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza between 7 October 2023 and early July 2024 to assess whether they amount to prohibited acts under the Genocide Convention, specifically: “killing members of the group”; “causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group”; and “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.”

6.1 KILLING AND CAUSING SERIOUS HARM (pp. 106-122)

This section focuses on Israeli air strikes and their devastating impact.

  • 6.1.1 Direct Attacks on Civilians or Indiscriminate Attacks (pp. 107-118): Amnesty International (AI) investigated 15 specific air strikes across Gaza (northern, central, and southern areas) that hit homes, residential buildings, a church, a market street, and a public market (p. 107).
    • Findings on 15 Strikes: These strikes killed at least 334 civilians, including at least 141 children, and wounded hundreds (p. 107). AI found no evidence of a military objective in any of these 15 cases (pp. 107, 110). All those killed were civilians not taking a direct part in hostilities (p. 111).
    • Pattern of Attacks: The strikes were often conducted at night when residents were likely sleeping, used large US-made bombs (e.g., JDAMs) in densely populated areas, and were often in areas south of Wadi Gaza where people had been ordered to “evacuate” (pp. 111, 107). This suggests an intent to cause a high number of civilian casualties (p. 111). No effective advance warnings were given in 14 of the 15 cases; in the one case where a warning was given, it was ineffective (p. 110).
    • Emblematic Cases Detailed (pp. 112-118):
      • Saint Porphyrius Church, Gaza City (19 Oct 2023): An air strike on a building in the church compound, where ~450 displaced Christians were sheltering, killed 18 civilians (p. 112).
      • Shehada and Nasman Families, Rafah (14 Dec 2023): An air strike on a three-storey house killed 31 civilians, including 11 children (many from a displaced family), and injured at least 10. The youngest victim was three months old (p. 114-115).
      • Abdelal Family, Rafah (20 Apr 2024): An air strike destroyed a house, killing 20 family members (16 children and four women) while they were asleep (p. 117).
  • 6.1.2 Scale of Killings and Injuries (pp. 119-121):
    • Overall Casualties: By 7 October 2024, the Gaza Ministry of Health recorded 42,010 Palestinian fatalities, with children, women, and older people constituting just under 60% of fully identified fatalities (p. 119). An estimated 97,590 Palestinians were injured (p. 119).
    • High Impact of Explosive Weapons: The use of heavy explosive weapons in densely populated urban areas is a primary cause of civilian deaths and injuries (p. 120). The WHO reported vast numbers of life-changing injuries, including thousands of amputations and severe burns (p. 120).
  • 6.1.3 Prohibited Acts (p. 122): AI concludes that the direct or indiscriminate attacks by Israel constitute the acts of “killing members of the group” and “causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group” under the Genocide Convention. These strikes caused deliberate and unlawful deaths and injuries to Palestinian civilians. The assessment of intent is detailed in Chapter 7.

6.2 INFLICTING CONDITIONS OF LIFE CALCULATED TO BRING ABOUT DESTRUCTION OF PALESTINIANS (pp. 123-201)

This section assesses three patterns of Israeli actions that, cumulatively, inflicted devastating conditions of life on Palestinians in Gaza.

  • 6.2.1 Damage to and Destruction of Objects Indispensable to Survival of Civilian Population (pp. 124-132):
    • Widespread Destruction: Critical infrastructure (food production, homes, water, sanitation, health, energy) suffered vast damage (p. 124). The level and speed of destruction were described as “unimaginable” and “unprecedented” by the UN (p. 124).
    • Agricultural Land (pp. 126-128): Significant portions of agricultural land were destroyed through razing, bombing, and shelling, particularly in the “buffer zone” expanded by Israel along the border fence (now ~16% of Gaza’s total area) (p. 126, 128).
    • Homes (pp. 128-129): About 62% of all homes in Gaza were damaged or destroyed by January 2024, affecting ~1.08 million people (p. 128).
    • Water, Sanitation, Health Infrastructure (pp. 129-132): Nearly 84% of health facilities and 57% of water infrastructure were damaged/destroyed by January 2024 (p. 129). Sewage systems collapsed, and health facilities were forced to close or limit services due to damage, raids, and “evacuation” orders (pp. 129-130).
  • 6.2.2 Mass Forced Displacement in Inhumane Conditions (pp. 131-145):
    • Scale of Displacement: Israel’s repeated “evacuation” orders triggered the largest wave of Palestinian displacement since 1948, with ~90% of Gaza’s population (1.9 million) displaced at least once by July 2024, many multiple times (p. 132).
    • Nature of Orders: Orders were sweeping, often incomprehensible, misleading, and arbitrary, creating panic and forcing people to flee in precarious conditions (p. 133).
    • Inhumane Conditions in “Safe Zones”: Displaced people were squeezed into ever-shrinking, unsanitary, and unsafe areas (e.g., Al-Mawasi) lacking basic necessities (shelter, food, water, sanitation) (pp. 132, 137-138). Israel failed in its obligations as an occupying power to ensure their safety and well-being (p. 133).
    • Waves of Displacement (pp. 135-143):
      • First Wave (7-12 Oct 2023): Initial “evacuation” orders for specific areas (p. 135).
      • Second Wave (13 Oct - 30 Nov 2023): Mass “evacuation” order for all of northern Gaza, affecting ~1.1 million people (p. 136). This caused panic and a humanitarian catastrophe as people fled south (pp. 136-137).
      • Third Wave (1 Dec 2023 onwards): Israel introduced an interactive map dividing Gaza into >600 blocks for “evacuations,” which was confusing and often inaccessible (p. 140). This coincided with expanded ground operations in Khan Younis and later Rafah, leading to further mass displacement into increasingly dire conditions (pp. 140-143). By August 2024, over 84% of Gaza’s area had been subjected to “evacuation” orders (p. 143).
  • 6.2.3 Denial and Obstruction of Essential Services and Life-Saving Supplies (pp. 146-187):
    • Total Siege (pp. 147-148): After 7 October 2023, Israel imposed a total siege, cutting off electricity, water, food, and fuel. For about two weeks, nothing entered Gaza (p. 148).
    • Continued Restrictions (pp. 148-177): Despite some easing due to international pressure, Israel maintained severe restrictions on aid:
      • Access Points: Limited entry points, refusing to open sufficient crossings, especially into northern Gaza (p. 149). The Rafah crossing became central, then was closed after Israel’s ground operation began there (p. 155). New crossings (Erez East/West, Gate 96) provided minimal relief and were not consistently open (pp. 151, 154).
      • Oppressive Procedures: Lengthy, arbitrary, and onerous inspection procedures for trucks, causing significant delays and rejections of essential items, including medical supplies (e.g., anaesthesia machines, oxygen cylinders) and agricultural necessities (e.g., fodder) (pp. 151, 163-165).
      • Misleading Claims on Aid Volume (Box, pp. 166-177): Israeli claims about the amount of aid entering Gaza were misleading. AI’s analysis of UNRWA and COGAT data showed that the number of trucks never came close to pre-war levels, let alone the vastly increased needs (pp. 166-169). Prime Minister Netanyahu’s claims of sufficient calories entering Gaza were based on selective data (p. 170). A significant portion of “food trucks” later in the conflict were commercial, not humanitarian aid, with food sold at inflated prices (p. 171, 173).
      • Restrictions on Access Within Gaza (pp. 177-180): Israel deliberately prevented aid from reaching northern Gaza by delaying/refusing convoy requests, harassing humanitarian workers at checkpoints, and limiting fuel for essential services (pp. 178-179).
      • Restrictions on Energy (Fuel & Electricity) (pp. 180-187): Israel cut off electricity supply and tightly controlled fuel imports, which were far below pre-war levels and insufficient for essential services (hospitals, water, sanitation) (pp. 181-183). This was done despite knowing Gaza’s reliance on fuel and electricity from Israel (p. 181).
  • 6.2.4 Resulting Conditions of Life (pp. 187-198):
    • Hunger (pp. 187-190): Widespread and severe hunger. By December 2023, >90% of the population faced crisis, emergency, or catastrophic hunger levels (IPC) (p. 188). People in northern Gaza resorted to eating animal fodder and wild plants (p. 188). Famine was declared “imminent” by March 2024, and the risk persisted (p. 190).
    • Disease (Box, pp. 190-195): Diseases spread at alarming rates due to malnutrition, overcrowding, and lack of sanitation. Sharp rises in acute respiratory illness, diarrhoea, scabies, and jaundice (p. 191). NICU mortality rates surged (p. 191). New disease threats like poliovirus in sewage emerged (p. 192). Overcrowding and breakdown of sanitation in displacement settings created a “perfect storm” for disease (pp. 193-194).
    • Impact on Children and Pregnant/Breastfeeding Women (pp. 195-198): These groups faced particular risks. Soaring rates of child malnutrition (15% of children under two wasting in northern Gaza by Jan 2024) (p. 189). Women were unable to breastfeed. Dozens of children died from malnutrition-related complications (pp. 188, 198). Nutrition experts warned of a “diminished future” for surviving children (p. 198).
  • 6.2.5 Prohibited Acts (pp. 199-201): AI concludes that Israel deliberately inflicted conditions of life on Palestinians in Gaza calculated to bring about their physical destruction in whole or in part. This was achieved through:
    • Large-scale destruction of critical infrastructure and objects indispensable to survival.
    • Mass forced displacement into unsafe and unsanitary conditions.
    • Blocking, impeding, and restricting essential services and life-saving supplies. Israel knew these actions would lead to hunger, malnutrition, and disease, and these consequences were the intended outcome. The “objective probability” standard for inferring intent was met.

In summary, Chapter 6 details a pattern of Israeli actions—including deadly attacks and the systematic creation of devastating living conditions through destruction, displacement, and siege—that AI concludes constitute the prohibited genocidal acts of killing, causing serious harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza.