On September 1, 2025, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) made a significant declaration, stating that Israel’s actions and policies in Gaza fit the legal definition of genocide as outlined in Article II of the 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention. The UN Convention, which the IAGS declaration references in its resolution, defines genocide as acts committed “with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.” This declaration not only adds to the ongoing dialogue but also reinforces the importance of accountability in our global community.
DOCUMENT: IAGS Resolution on the Situation in Gaza (Source: IAGS)
IAGS-Resolution-on-Gaza-FINAL
With a membership of about 500 experts, the IAGS has been at the forefront of promoting research and awareness surrounding genocide and atrocities since its inception in 1994. Over the years, the association has passed nine resolutions that acknowledge both historic and ongoing genocides, asserting its influence in academic, legal, and policy discussions. Notably, the IAGS has previously recognised genocides in regions such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, Armenia, and Myanmar. The resolution comes amid ongoing legal scrutiny of Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, where South Africa initiated a notable genocide case in 2023. The case points to deliberate attacks on civilians, starvation, denial of aid, forced displacement, and other actions that are considered genocide and crimes against humanity. While the resolution acknowledges Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, as an act constituting international crimes, it firmly asserts that such actions cannot be used to justify genocide.
Furthermore, it’s crucial to recognise that, as a people under occupation, Palestinians possess the right to defend themselves and seek liberation from illegal occupation, which may include armed struggle. International humanitarian law supports this notion, particularly through the adoption of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, which affirms the right of occupied peoples to engage in wars of national liberation. Furthermore, as early as 1974, the UN General Assembly resolution 3314 prohibited states from any military occupation, regardless of its duration.
As anticipated, Israel has rejected the allegations of genocide, asserting that its military operations target Hamas and are conducted in accordance with its right to self-defense.
Melanie O’Brien, who serves as the president of IAGS and is a professor of international law at the University of Western Australia, stated that “the resolution represents“a definitive statement from experts in the field of genocide studies that what is going on on the ground in Gaza is genocide”.
Sergey Vasiliev, a professor of international law at the Open University of the Netherlands, informed Reuters that the declaration signifies a consensus that has established itself in academic circles, adding, “This legal assessment has become mainstream within academia, particularly in the field of genocide studies.”
Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Gaza’s Government Media Office, said the “prestigious scholarly stance reinforces the documented evidence and facts presented before international courts”, adding that the resolution “places a legal and moral obligation on the international community to take urgent action to stop the crime, protect civilians, and hold the leaders of the occupation accountable”.
The resolution arises as Israel faces genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. This statement, from a prominent genocide studies institution, reinforces claims made by U.N. officials, human rights groups, and NGOs. While not legally binding, it holds substantial moral and academic significance, asserting that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide and urging nations to act per the U.N. Genocide Convention. It’s anticipated that this important declaration will shape the narrative during the ICJ proceedings.
Last week, hundreds of employees from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) came together to support an internal letter urging leadership to classify Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and to stop arms sales to Israel by member states. The letter claims that Israeli military actions in Gaza fulfil the legal definition of genocide and contends that arms sales to Israeli authorities breach international law. OHCHR staff have voiced increasing frustration with agency head Volker Türk for not moving beyond mere condemnation of Israel’s actions.
It’s not enough to just criticise Israel; Countries, International Organisations and People need to take it a step further by implementing specific actions to prevent genocide and to clarify the potential legal repercussions for failing to act. The IAGS declaration could serve as a powerful catalyst, encouraging more organisations and influential individuals to come forward and seek accountability. It is everyone’s duty to rally around this noble cause, to foster a culture of responsibility and justice…
Brad Reed reports for Common Dreams…
Israel’s Actions in Gaza ‘Meet the Legal Definition of Genocide,’ Say Leading Scholars
The resolution is “a definitive statement from experts in the field of genocide studies that what is going on on the ground in Gaza is genocide,” said the president of the International Association of Genocide Scholars.
Israel’s actions in Gaza “meet the legal definition of genocide,” an overwhelming majority of the world’s leading scholars on the subject said on Monday.
The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) has passed a three-page resolution that outlines a wide range of Israeli actions that it says constitute genocide, including deliberate attacks against civilians, starvation, deprivation of humanitarian aid, sexual violence, and forced displacement of the population.
In addition to the actions of the Israeli military, the resolution also references statements by high-level Israeli government officials as proof of genocidal intent.
Specifically, the resolution cites “Israeli governmental leaders, war cabinet ministers, and senior army officers” who “have made explicit statements of ‘intent to destroy,’ characterizing Palestinians in Gaza as a whole as enemies and ‘human animals’ and stating the intention of inflicting ‘maximum damage’ on Gaza, ‘flattening Gaza,’ and turning Gaza into ‘hell.’”
The scholars also note Israeli officials’ support for a plan floated by US President Donald Trump to expel all Palestinians from Gaza, which they contend “amounts to ethnic cleansing.”
The resolution, which passed with the support of 86% of IAGS members who voted on it, concludes by calling on the Israeli government to stop all genocidal actions in Gaza; comply with the provisional measures orders issued earlier this year by the International Court of Justice; and “support a process of repair and transitional justice that will afford democracy, freedom, dignity, and security for all people of Gaza.”
Melanie O’Brien, president of IAGS and professor of international law at the University of Western Australia, told The Guardian that the scholars’ resolution is “a definitive statement from experts in the field of genocide studies that what is going on on the ground in Gaza is genocide.”
The IAGS resolution comes just a little more than a week after the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC) declared a famine in Gaza that it warned was projected to get even worse in the coming weeks.
“Between mid-August and the end of September 2025, conditions are expected to further worsen with famine projected to expand to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis,” the IPC stated. “Nearly a third of the population (641,000 people) are expected to face catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5), while those in emergency (IPC Phase 4) will likely rise to 1.14 million (58%). Acute malnutrition is projected to continue worsening rapidly.”
The Gaza Health Ministry currently estimates that more than 330 people in Gaza, including over 120 children, have so far died from severe hunger as a result of the Israeli blockade that has for months prevented the delivery of humanitarian aid.
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Author: Global Affairs
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