Amnesty International’s report, “‘YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE SUBHUMAN’: ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINIANS IN GAZA,” is based on extensive research conducted primarily between October 2023 and July 2024 (p. 41, 43). While the core research focused on this nine-month period, the organization continued its analysis and updated key overarching data (like casualty figures, damage assessments, and displacement numbers) until the end of September or early October 2024, and relevant international commentary until the end of November 2024 (p. 41). The geographical scope of the report is limited to the Gaza Strip, as it focuses on Palestinians in Gaza as a substantial part of the broader Palestinian group (p. 42).

The methodology combined several approaches:

  1. Primary Research - Interviews and Fieldwork (Constrained):
    • Amnesty International interviewed 212 people, some multiple times, between October 2023 and September 2024 (p. 43).
    • Interviewees included:
      • Palestinian victims and witnesses of air strikes, displacement, detention, and destruction of property (pp. 13, 43).
      • Individuals impacted by restrictions on humanitarian aid (pp. 13, 43).
      • Members of local authorities in Gaza (pp. 13, 43, 123).
      • Palestinian healthcare workers in Gaza (pp. 13, 43, 123).
      • Humanitarian workers and officials from international, Israeli, and Palestinian NGOs and UN agencies involved in the Gaza response (working in Israel, OPT, Egypt, Jordan) (pp. 14, 43, 123).
      • Farmers in Gaza (p. 123).
    • Due to Israel’s long-standing denial of access to Gaza for Amnesty International (since 2012) and similar denials by Egyptian authorities for access via Rafah (pp. 43), direct fieldwork by Amnesty researchers was not possible.
    • Instead, they relied on trusted fieldworkers based in Gaza to identify and locate survivors/witnesses, document preliminary information, collect photographic evidence, and make observations during field visits (p. 43).
    • Most interviews with victims and witnesses were conducted remotely via voice or video calls. In some cases, fieldworkers conducted in-depth interviews following Amnesty’s guidance, with remote follow-up by Amnesty researchers (pp. 43-44).
    • Interviews with Palestinian victims, witnesses, medical workers, and local authorities were conducted in Arabic. Interviews with UN and NGO staff were mostly in English, while those with Israeli civil society organizations were in English and Arabic (p. 44).
    • Some names and identifying details were withheld for security or at the request of interviewees (p. 44).
  2. Desk Research - Evidence Analysis:
    • Visual and Digital Evidence: Extensive analysis of satellite imagery, video footage, and photographs posted on social media or obtained directly by researchers. This evidence was authenticated and, where possible, geolocated (pp. 14, 44, 124). This was used to assess damage to infrastructure, including agricultural land, homes, and cultural sites (pp. 124, 128, 217-218).
    • Document Review:
      • Media reports, statements, reports, and datasets published by UN agencies (OCHA, UNRWA, WHO, UNICEF, UNOSAT, UNFPA etc.), humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, and Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups (pp. 14, 44, 123).
      • Statements by senior Israeli government and military officials, and official Israeli bodies like COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories) (pp. 14, 44, 123, 203).
      • Submissions made to and decisions taken by Israeli courts, and publicly available material relating to South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ (pp. 14, 44).
      • Official statements by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups (p. 45).
    • Analysis of Official Statements: Israeli officials’ oral statements (e.g., televised speeches) were reviewed in their original language, observing delivery and gestures. Official English translations were used when available and checked against original Hebrew or Arabic transcripts for discrepancies (p. 44). Written statements were similarly analyzed (p. 45).
    • Data Analysis: Quantitative analysis of truck data entering Gaza (using R programming) and statistical analysis of building damage data from UNOSAT (pp. 167, 210).
  3. Engagement with Authorities:
    • Israeli Authorities: Amnesty International repeatedly sought engagement with Israeli authorities since October 2023 (p. 45). Specific letters summarizing findings and requesting information were sent to the Israeli Ministry of Defense (regarding 15 air strikes and destruction of cultural/religious sites, conditions of life), the Speaker of the Knesset and the Military Advocate General (regarding potentially genocidal or dehumanizing statements by officials and soldiers), and the Attorney General (regarding incitement by officials) (pp. 45-46). A request for data on humanitarian aid access was sent to COGAT (p. 46). By the time of publication, no substantive responses had been received to these letters (pp. 14, 46).
    • Hamas Authorities: Letters were sent to the Hamas Political and International Relations Department (sharing initial findings on Hamas fighters’ conduct in Gaza, requesting information on measures to protect civilians) and the Attorney General in Gaza (regarding investigations into violations by Palestinian armed groups) (p. 46). Hamas provided a 10-page response on 13 November 2024, elements of which were reflected in the report (p. 46).
  4. Legal Framework and Expertise:
    • The report assesses Israel’s conduct within the framework of genocide under international law, specifically the Genocide Convention, focusing on state responsibility (pp. 13, 39, 43, 85).
    • It also references Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law (including the law of occupation) and international human rights law (pp. 17, 70-84, 123).
    • Amnesty International engaged with external legal experts on genocide and genocidal intent (p. 40).
    • The report builds on Amnesty’s existing documentation of Israeli violations in Gaza and its previous conclusion that Israel’s system of oppression against Palestinians amounts to apartheid (pp. 40-41).
  5. Acknowledgements:
    • The report expresses deep gratitude to all who participated, particularly Palestinians in Gaza who shared experiences under extreme duress, and to its fieldworkers who gathered evidence tirelessly under difficult and dangerous conditions (p. 46).

This multi-faceted approach aimed to build a comprehensive picture of Israel’s actions and policies in Gaza and to assess them against the strict legal definition of genocide.

Sources Used by Amnesty International (with Page References where their use is described)

This list details the types of sources and information Amnesty International states it utilized in compiling its report, along with the pages where the report mentions using them:

  • Interviews:
    • Palestinian victims, survivors, and witnesses (of air strikes, displacement, detention, destruction of farms, homes, agricultural land, impact of aid restrictions) (pp. 13, 43)
    • Humanitarian workers and officials (from UN agencies, international, Israeli, and Palestinian NGOs) (pp. 14, 43, 123)
    • Medical staff/Healthcare workers operating in Gaza (pp. 13, 43, 123)
    • Members of local authorities in Gaza (municipalities, etc.) (pp. 13, 43, 123)
    • Farmers in Gaza (p. 123)
  • Visual and Digital Evidence (Analyzed and Verified):
    • Satellite imagery (UNOSAT data and Amnesty’s own analysis) (pp. 14, 33, 44, 124, 128, 167, 210, 217-219, 223-225, 227-229, 231-233)
    • Video footage (from social media, obtained directly by researchers, from Israeli soldiers, media outlets) (pp. 14, 33, 34, 44, 124, 203, 217, 220, 224-227, 264-272)
    • Photographs (from social media, obtained directly by researchers, from Israeli soldiers) (pp. 14, 34, 43, 44, 124, 203, 217-219, 226, 233, 254, 263)
    • Audio recordings (from Israeli soldiers) (pp. 34, 203, 264)
  • Documentary Sources (Reviewed and Analyzed):
    • Media reports (pp. 14, 44)
    • Statements, reports, and datasets from UN agencies (including OCHA, UNRWA, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNOSAT, UN Secretary-General, UN Special Rapporteurs, UN Committees like CERD, UN Human Rights Council) (pp. 14, 39, 41, 44, 56, 61-63, 123, 124, 149, 167, 176, 180, 187, 190, 193-195, 209, 212, 236, 239, 247, 272-273)
    • Statements, reports, and datasets from humanitarian organizations (international and local) (pp. 14, 41, 44, 123, 146, 157, 160, 162-163, 175, 180, 184, 187, 190, 193-195)
    • Statements, reports, and datasets from Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups (including Gisha, B’Tselem, HaMoked, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Al-Haq, Al Mezan, PCHR, Adalah, Yesh Din) (pp. 14, 44, 53-55, 63, 123, 234-236, 278)
    • Statements by senior Israeli government officials (Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, other ministers, President), military officials (IDF spokespersons, COGAT head, Chief of Staff, Military Advocate General), and Knesset members (pp. 14, 15, 31, 33-34, 44-45, 123, 147-148, 153, 160, 166-167, 181, 186, 203, 237, 239-263, 275-277)
    • Official Israeli government and military websites and social media accounts (Facebook, X) (pp. 45, 134-135, 137-138, 140, 148, 150, 153, 167, 239, 244, 246-249, 252, 255, 258-261, 276-277)
    • Submissions to and decisions by Israeli courts (High Court of Justice) (pp. 14, 44, 123, 147, 150-151, 156, 160, 163, 165, 181, 185-186)
    • Publicly available material related to ICJ proceedings (South Africa v. Israel application, ICJ orders, state submissions, verbatim records) (pp. 14, 15, 39, 44, 63-65, 102-104, 149, 151, 158, 205, 214-215, 241, 260, 273, 277)
    • Official statements by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups (p. 45)
    • Amnesty International’s own previous research, reports, and press releases (pp. 13, 40-42, 48, 51, 53-54, 112, 136-137, 234, 236, 244, 278)
  • Correspondence with Authorities:
    • Letters sent by Amnesty International to Israeli authorities (Ministry of Defense, Speaker of the Knesset, Military Advocate General, Attorney General, COGAT) (pp. 14, 45-46, 112, 203, 275)
    • Letters sent by Amnesty International to Hamas authorities (Political and International Relations Department, Attorney General in Gaza) (p. 46, 60, 222)
    • Response received from Hamas authorities (p. 46, 60-61, 222)
  • Expert Consultations:
    • External legal experts (on genocide and genocidal intent) (p. 40)
  • Technical Data and Analysis:
    • Quantitative analysis of truck import data (using R programming language) (p. 167)
    • Statistical analysis of building damage data (from UNOSAT, using Average Nearest Neighbour test) (p. 210)
    • Hospital records (from Kamal Adwan hospital) (p. 198)
    • Lists of medical supplies requested/rejected (shared by humanitarian organizations) (pp. 28, 164-165)
    • Lists of fuel shipments (from Gaza City municipality) (p. 184)
    • Maps (UN maps, COGAT maps, Amnesty-produced maps based on data) (pp. 25, 108, 113-118, 127, 134, 141, 144-145, 159, 171, 173, 211, 218, 223, 225, 229, 231, 233, 239)