UN report links global firms to Israel's military actions in Gaza
Francesca Albanese, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, compiled the report from over 200 submissions by states, rights groups, companies, and academics. The 27-page document names more than 60 companies—ranging from weapons manufacturers to tech firms—and urges them to halt operations that support Israeli settlements or military actions. It also calls for legal accountability for executives involved in alleged violations of international law.
"While life in Gaza is being obliterated and the West Bank is under escalating assault, this report shows why Israel's genocide continues: because it is lucrative for many," Albanese wrote. She accused corporations of being "financially bound to Israel's apartheid and militarism."
The companies are categorised by industry, such as military, construction, and technology, but the report does not always clarify whether the links apply to settlement activity or the Gaza campaign. About 15 firms responded to Albanese's office, but their replies were not made public.
Among those named are arms manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Italy's Leonardo, whose weapons have allegedly been used in Gaza. Heavy equipment suppliers Caterpillar Inc. and HD Hyundai were listed for providing machinery said to have contributed to the destruction of Palestinian property.
Caterpillar has previously stated that it expects its equipment to be used in accordance with international humanitarian law. None of the companies named responded to Reuters' request for comment.
Major tech firms, including Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM, were also named, with the report claiming they are "central to Israel's surveillance apparatus and the ongoing Gaza destruction." Alphabet has previously defended its US$1.2 billion cloud contract with the Israeli government, saying it is not directed at military or intelligence operations.
Palantir Technologies was identified as supplying artificial intelligence tools to the Israeli military, though the report did not specify how these tools were used.
The document builds on a prior U.N. database tracking firms linked to Israeli settlements, last updated in June 2023, expanding the scope to include Gaza-related activities.
Israel's mission in Geneva dismissed the report as "legally groundless, defamatory and a flagrant abuse of her office." The Israeli Prime Minister's Office and Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Israel has firmly denied all genocide allegations, citing its right to self-defence following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken, according to Israeli figures. The ensuing conflict has killed over 56,000 people in Gaza, according to the enclave's Health Ministry.
The report will be presented this week before the 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council. While the Council lacks binding enforcement powers, its findings have at times informed international criminal investigations.
Both Israel and the United States withdrew from the Council earlier this year, alleging systemic bias against Israel.
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Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The U.N. human rights office says it has recorded 613 Palestinians killed within the span of a month in Gaza while trying to obtain aid. Most were killed while trying to reach food distribution points run by an Israeli-backed American organization, while others were massed waiting for aid trucks connected to the United Nations or other humanitarian organizations. Spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the rights office was not able to attribute responsibility for the killings. 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On Friday, in reaction to the U.N. report, it said in a statement that it was investigating reports of people killed and wounded while seeking aid and that it had given instructions to troops in the field based on 'lessons learned' from reviewing the incidents. It said it was working at 'minimizing possible friction between the population' and Israeli forces, including by installing fences and placing signs on the routes. Separately, witnesses have said Israeli troops open fire on crowds of Palestinians who gather in military-controlled zones to wait for aid trucks entering Gaza for the U.N. or other aid organizations not associated with GHF. The crowds are usually made up of people desperate for food who grab supplies off the passing trucks. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. On Friday, 17 people were killed waiting for trucks in eastern Khan Younis in the Tahliya area, officials at Nasser Hospital said. Three survivors told the AP they had gone to wait for the trucks in a military 'red zone' in Khan Younis and that troops opened fire from a tank and drones. It was a 'crowd of people, may God help them, who want to eat and live,' said Seddiq Abu Farhana, who was shot in the leg, forcing him to drop a bag of flour he had grabbed. 'There was direct firing.' Airstrikes also hit the Muwasi area on the southern end of Gaza's Mediterranean coast, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians driven from their homes are sheltering in tent camps. Of the 15 people killed in the strikes, eight were women and one was a child, according to the hospital. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Israel's military said it was looking into Friday's reported strikes. 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The International Committee of the Red Cross also said in late June that its field hospital near one of the GHF sites has been overwhelmed more than 20 times in the previous months by mass casualties. It said the casualties had been on their way to the food distribution sites, and 'the vast majority of patients suffered gunshot injuries.' Also on Friday, Israel's military said a soldier was killed in combat in the north of Gaza and it was investigating. Over 860 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the war began, including more than 400 during the fighting in Gaza. Efforts ongoing to halt the war The recent killings took place as efforts to halt the 21-month war appeared to be moving forward. 'We'll see what happens. We're going to know over the next 24 hours,' U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One late Thursday when asked if Hamas had agreed to the latest framework for a ceasefire. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A Palestinian official told AP on Friday that Hamas is still working on its response the proposal presented to it by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. He said the response will be positive but added that Hamas is insisting on guarantees regarding an Israeli withdrawal to positions it held on March 2, during a previous ceasefire, and an end to the war following a 60-day truce as well as ending the GHF system for distributing aid. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk the press. Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. The Health Ministry in Gaza said the number of Palestinians killed in the territory has passed 57,000. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says more than half of the dead are women and children. 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