UN Committee: Targeting of Schools and Cultural Sites in Gaza Amounts to Genocide
In its newly released report, the committee stated that the Israeli occupation's deliberate targeting of Palestinian educational, cultural, and religious infrastructure has inflicted severe, long-term damage on Gaza's society, eroding not only its present but also its future. This destruction, the report argues, effectively undermines the Palestinian people's right to self-determination.
The inquiry accuses Israel of having deliberately dismantled Gaza's educational system and damaged or destroyed more than half of its religious and cultural landmarks. These actions are part of what the commission describes as a 'relentless, large-scale assault on the Palestinian people,' during which Israeli forces have committed war crimes and genocidal acts.
Judge Navi Pillay of South Africa, chair of the commission, emphasized in an official statement that there is mounting evidence of a systematic Israeli campaign to erase Palestinian existence in Gaza. 'This is not collateral damage — it is targeted erasure,' Pillay said.
The commission was established by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2021 and tasked with investigating alleged violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territories. It comprises three prominent experts in international law and human rights.
The findings come amid what observers are calling a deliberate campaign to eradicate Gaza's cultural and historical identity. In addition to military operations against civilian populations, Israeli forces have been accused of deliberately targeting cultural institutions such as museums, libraries, mosques, and churches.
Gaza, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, is home to an archaeological heritage that spans multiple civilizations — Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic. These legacies are now under existential threat as Israeli airstrikes and shelling raze centuries-old structures and cultural treasures.
The report also highlights the symbolic and strategic significance of this destruction. By wiping out the institutions that preserve Palestinian knowledge, memory, and identity, the occupation seeks to dismantle the cultural foundation necessary for any future Palestinian self-governance or national revival.
This damning UN report adds to the growing chorus of international voices accusing Israel of employing genocide as a tactic of war in Gaza. The international community, however, remains divided over accountability, with several Western governments continuing to provide military and diplomatic cover to Israel despite mounting legal and humanitarian concerns.
The commission has called for urgent international intervention to halt the destruction and protect what remains of Gaza's heritage, educational infrastructure, and civilian life, warning that inaction will only further entrench the mechanisms of genocide and cultural annihilation.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=64088
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Days of Palestine
3 hours ago
- Days of Palestine
21 killed in Israeli targeting of Starving People at aid points in Gaza
DaysofPal- 12 civilians were killed and 54 others injured, including critical cases, after an Israeli strike targeted civilians at aid distribution points on Salah al-Din Street, south of the Wadi Gaza area in central Gaza Strip, according to Al-Awda Hospital in Al-Nuseirat. Hospital staff confirmed that most injuries resulted from direct Israeli shelling on starving civilians waiting to receive humanitarian aid, indicating deliberate targeting of civilians. Meanwhile, 9 other people, including women and children, were killed near aid trucks south of Khan Younis city, where an intensive Israeli artillery strike hit an aid distribution point as civilians awaited food and medical supplies. Additionally, five people were killed and several injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a displaced persons' tent in the Asda area northwest of Khan Younis, where families displaced from other parts of the Strip have taken refuge from ongoing bombardment. These areas have witnessed ongoing Israeli military escalation, while international organizations and human rights groups warn that continued violence against civilians and aid distribution points constitutes a blatant violation of international law and amounts to war crimes. This comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where thousands of families suffer from severe shortages of food, medicine, and basic necessities under a continuing blockade that impedes aid delivery and exacerbates civilian suffering. Palestinian factions and the international community are calling for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of safe humanitarian corridors to ensure aid reaches those in need without risking their lives. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
3 hours ago
- Days of Palestine
IOF Storms Handala Aid Ship, Abducts 21 Activists on it
DaysofPal- The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed 'Handala' ship, which is a part of the Freedom Flotilla, on Saturday evening as it neared the shores of the Gaza Strip to break the ongoing Israeli blockade. The raid came nearly two weeks after the ship set sail from the port of Syracuse, Italy. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced that the IOF assaulted the ship while it was still in international waters, calling the act a blatant violation of international law. Footage from onboard cameras showed the moment Israeli forces boarded the vessel and detained the activists, shortly before the livestream was cut off and contact was lost. The coalition confirmed that Israeli forces abducted all 21 activists on board and took them to an undisclosed location, raising serious concerns about their safety. Before the raid, the crew had issued a distress call after Israeli boats and drones approached the vessel. An emergency protocol was activated on board the 'Handala' amid fears of an imminent interception or attack. Earlier, communications with the ship had been lost on Thursday. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition later announced on Friday morning that contact had been re-established and that the ship was about 349 nautical miles from Gaza at that time, continuing its humanitarian mission. The Handala ship had departed from Syracuse, Italy, on July 13, and temporarily docked in Gallipoli on July 15 to address technical issues before resuming its voyage to Gaza on July 20. It was carrying 21 international activists aiming to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave. This is not the first time Israel has targeted Freedom Flotilla ships. In May, an Israeli drone attacked the 'Al-Dameer' ship as it attempted to reach Gaza, damaging its hull and igniting a fire in its front section. In June, Israeli forces seized the 'Marianne' ship in international waters and arrested 12 international activists on board, who were later released under the condition that they not return to the mission. Such attempts came amid severe famine and genocide the IOF are carrying out against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza strip which killed over 59 thousand people and injured over 150 thousands others. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
3 hours ago
- Days of Palestine
UNRWA Chief Warns Airdropped Aid in Gaza Risks Civilian Lives
DaysofPal- The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has sharply criticized the use of airdropped humanitarian aid in Gaza, warning that such efforts are not only ineffective but could endanger the very civilians they aim to help. Lazzarini described airdrops as a 'distraction and smokescreen,' emphasizing that they are costly, inefficient, and may result in injuries or deaths among starving Palestinians gathering to collect supplies. He urged the immediate reopening of land-based crossings to allow for faster, safer, and more dignified delivery of aid. 'Thousands of trucks loaded with vital supplies remain stuck in neighboring countries, awaiting Israeli authorization to enter Gaza,' Lazzarini said. 'Until the borders are opened, airdrops alone cannot meet the urgent needs of over two million people facing severe famine.' He added. The UNRWA chief's warnings come amid mounting evidence of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Since the outbreak of Israeli genocide in October 2023, more than 120 Palestinians, including many children, have reportedly died from starvation and malnutrition, with numbers rising sharply this month. Moreover, international aid agencies continue to call for a lifting of the blockade to enable sustained and effective aid delivery on the ground. Lazzarini stressed that only through safe land access can the deepening hunger and suffering in Gaza be meaningfully addressed. As the crisis intensifies, the call to end the siege and allow humanitarian corridors remains critical to saving lives and restoring hope for millions in Gaza, who have been suffering famine and genocide at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces for 22 months so far. Shortlink for this post:
