Since October 2023, Israel’s policy towards Palestinians has undergone a fundamental change following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. The events of that day served as a catalyst, and the practices implemented by Israel in Gaza since then constitute a coordinated attack with the intent to destroy Palestinian society in Gaza as a group. This analysis is based on a report published by B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization. The original report can be accessed here: https://www.btselem.org/sites/default/files/publications/202507_our_genocide_eng.pdf
Let’s start by defining what is meant by Genocide. The term “genocide” refers to a socio-historical and political phenomenon that has occurred throughout human history. In its most basic definition, genocide is the deliberate and violent destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, national, religious, or racial group, or an attempt to do so, which inflicts severe and irreparable harm on the group as such. The 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide recognizes it as one of the most serious crimes under international law, and it cannot be justified under any circumstances, not even as an act of self-defense.
Genocidal actions are not limited to physical mass killing but can include:
- Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group.
- Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.
- Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
- Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
- Widespread sexual violence against members of the group.
The intent to destroy a group in whole or in part is a key element and can be inferred not only from official statements but also from the state’s pattern of conduct.
Genocide is often the result of a gradual development of conditions that predispose a repressive and discriminatory regime to become genocidal. The Israeli regime has laid the legal, social, and political foundations that are recognized as preconditions for genocide. B’Tselem has identified the Israeli regime as an apartheid regime since 2021. This regime was conceived to cement Jewish supremacy over all territories under Israeli control, through demographic engineering, separation, shaping public discourse, indoctrination, militarism, and the use of force and violence.
Three fundamental elements prepared the ground:
- Apartheid Regime: Characterized by separation, demographic engineering, and ethnic cleansing. The isolation of Gaza is rooted in the Israeli perception of the Strip as a uniquely threatening space, partly because about two-thirds of its population are refugees or descendants of refugees expelled during the 1948 Nakba.
- Dehumanization and Framing of Palestinians as an Existential Threat: Palestinians have been systematically dehumanized and described as a “land without a people for a people without a land,” or as a “demographic threat” or “time bomb.” Their national identity has often been denied, and any nonviolent resistance has been labeled as terrorism.
- Culture of Impunity: Those responsible for crimes against Palestinians enjoy systemic impunity. Military investigations rarely lead to indictments or convictions, and the Israeli Supreme Court has often sanctioned or failed to intervene in actions that violated international law.
The October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and other Palestinian armed factions, which caused the death of 1,218 people (882 civilians) and the kidnapping of 252, was a “catalyst” that shifted Israeli policy from repression and control to destruction and annihilation. This attack, perceived as an existential threat, generated a deep sense of fear, anger, and desire for revenge in Israeli society. The broader context of decades of violent control, occupation, and blockade of Gaza has often been ignored in Israeli public discourse.
The current Israeli government, formed in December 2022 and described as the most right-wing in Israel’s history, has explicitly supported violent and genocidal ideologies. High-level ministers have declared plans for the “voluntary transfer” of Palestinians, the annexation of the West Bank, and the creation of conditions for Jewish settlement in Gaza, openly rejecting international law. This government saw the October 7 attack as an opportunity to implement plans for territorial expansion and the expulsion of Palestinians.
The B’Tselem report documents Israel’s genocidal practices in Gaza and the increasing violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and within Israel.
Killings and serious physical and mental harm
- Gaza Strip: As of July 2025, over 58,000 people have been killed and approximately 138,520 wounded. Life expectancy for men has dropped by 51.6% to 40.5 years, and for women by 38.6% to 47.5 years. This is the result of indiscriminate airstrikes, “kill zones,” and permissive rules of engagement. “Safe corridors” and “humanitarian zones” have been systematically bombed. Many people have undergone amputations without anesthesia due to drug shortages. Thousands of “indirect deaths” are estimated due to disease, malnutrition, and the destruction of the healthcare system. Psychological trauma is widespread, with almost all of Gaza’s 1.2 million children needing mental health support.
- West Bank: Between October 2023 and mid-July 2025, 263 people were killed in airstrikes. Israeli forces killed 926 Palestinians, including 195 minors, and 26 were killed by settlers or “unknown Israeli parties.” Settler violence has increased exponentially, often with the support of armed forces and authorities.
Destruction of living conditions
- Gaza Strip:
- Famine and Destruction of Food Infrastructure: Complete blockade, destruction of the only flour mill, bakeries, farms, and fishing industry. As of March 2025, hunger has become an official and declared policy. In May 2025, 93% of the population suffered from severe food insecurity, with 244,000 people in “catastrophic hunger” conditions.
- Killings at “Aid Distribution Centers”: Between May and July 2025, 758 people were killed and over 5,000 injured while seeking food. The centers have been described as “death traps.”
- Destruction of Electricity and Water Infrastructure: The blockade has caused a severe shortage of electricity and fuel. 84% of Gaza’s water facilities have been destroyed, leading to the use of contaminated water and the spread of diseases.
- Assault on the Healthcare System: Only 17 of 36 hospitals are partially functioning, with critical shortages of staff and supplies. Medical personnel have been killed (approximately 2.5% by January 2025), arrested, and abused.
- Domicide (destruction of housing): Approximately 92% of all residential buildings and 69% of all structures have been destroyed or severely damaged. Entire neighborhoods have been wiped out.
- Economic Destruction: The economy has almost completely collapsed, with an average unemployment rate of 79.7% between October 2023 and September 2024.
- West Bank: Israel has demolished 1,572 structures and 729 homes since 2023, displacing 2,598 people. Movement restrictions have transformed daily life into a “large prison.” The blockade of work permits and Palestinian Authority funds has led to a deep economic recession and food insecurity for at least 700,000 residents.
Forced displacement
- Gaza Strip: Approximately 9 million Palestinians (90% of the population) have been forcibly displaced at least once. “Kill zones” have been created to prevent the return of displaced persons. Israel’s goal is to turn “temporary” displacement into permanent displacement, with explicit ethnic cleansing plans declared by senior Israeli officials.
- West Bank: 38 Palestinian communities (2,409 people) have been forcibly transferred since 2023 due to settler violence and military operations. Operation “Iron Wall” has displaced over 40,000 Palestinians.
Social, political, and cultural destruction
- Gaza Strip: The assault has led to widespread anarchy, with the erosion of community relations. Approximately 14,000 women have been widowed and 40,000 children orphaned. The education system has been devastated, with 90% of schools damaged, depriving 658,000 children of education. At least 160 journalists have been killed, making Gaza the most dangerous region in the world for journalists. 206 archaeological and historical sites have been destroyed, including ancient mosques and churches.
- West Bank: Schools have been damaged and access to education severely compromised. Religious practices and mourning rituals have been obstructed, and Israel holds the bodies of 316 Palestinians, including 28 minors.
The prison system as a network of torture camps
Since October 2023, the Israeli prison system has transformed into a network of torture camps, with arbitrary violence, sexual abuse, humiliation, deliberate starvation, sleep deprivation, and denial of medical care becoming systemic and institutionalized practices. Over 73 prisoners have died in Israeli custody, including minors. Testimonies from Israeli soldiers reveal inhumane conditions and abuses against detainees, even innocent ones.
Assault on Palestinian refugee status
Refugee status is a central element of Palestinian identity. Israel has intensified efforts to undermine the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides essential support to millions of Palestinian refugees. Israel has launched a campaign against UNRWA, culminating in a ban on its operations in Israeli territory, justifying it with alleged links between agency staff and Hamas.
Incitement to Genocide and Dehumanization since October 2023
Dehumanization and incitement are inherent components of a regime turning to genocide. Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli political leadership has led this process, with statements from high-ranking officials dehumanizing Palestinians as “human animals” and calling for their destruction. Israeli media have played a significant role in amplifying this rhetoric and normalizing violence against Gaza civilians. This genocidal rhetoric has been translated into operational doctrines on the ground, with areas designated as “kill zones” where civilians, including children, have been systematically classified as “terrorists.”
The B’Tselem report leaves little room for doubt: since October 2023, the Israeli regime is responsible for implementing a genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The scale and gravity of these crimes have been widely documented and made public, yet the absence of international action, particularly from Europe and the United States, has allowed these acts to continue.
The report calls for urgent and unequivocal action from Israeli society and the international community to stop Israel’s genocide against Palestinians.
The full report: https://www.btselem.org/sites/default/files/publications/202507_our_genocide_eng.pdf
Dan ROMEO