UN Inquiry Panel Accuses Israel of 'Extermination'; Israel Denounces Disinformation Campaign

A UN independent commission of inquiry has leveled new accusations against Israel, alleging that its operations in the West Bank since October 7, 2023, constitute a "widespread and systematic attack" against Palestinian civilians. The 19-page report, compiled by a three-expert panel established in 2021, accuses Israeli authorities and security forces of crimes against humanity, including "extermination," torture, rape, sexual violence, and persecution. It also claims that violence by Israeli residents against Palestinians has been integrated into a broader policy of population displacement. These findings are not judicial decisions.

Israel's mission to the UN in Geneva vehemently rejected the report, calling it a disinformation campaign aimed at demonizing the state and criminalizing its existence. The Israeli mission criticized the panel for linking current Israeli policies to events in 1948, stating the report distorts the war following the invasion by Arab armies into a colonial expulsion policy. Israeli ambassador to Geneva, Daniel Meron, accused the commission of seeking to undermine Israel's legitimacy and right to self-defense. Israel urged the international community to reject the findings and demand the commission's dissolution.

The commission detailed its findings regarding the West Bank, citing seven investigated cases and six additional documented instances of Palestinians killed or injured between November 2023 and June 2026. Investigators claim security forces intentionally killed civilians not posing an immediate threat. The report also criticized Israel's "Iron Sword" operation in January 2025 in northern Samaria, including Jenin and Tulkarem, attributing significant destruction and displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians, while the Israeli military stated the operations were necessary to dismantle terrorist infrastructure.

Regarding Gaza, the commission reiterated its genocide accusation from September 2025, which Israel has consistently rejected. It suggested that operations after the October 2025 ceasefire indicate a continuation of the alleged acts. While acknowledging Israel's justification of strikes on terrorist targets and ceasefire violations, the investigators contested these explanations and called for international investigations.

The commission also accused Palestinian Authority security forces of violations, including unlawful killings, excessive force, arbitrary detentions, and suppression of political dissent, claiming at least 14 Palestinians, including two minors, were killed between October 2023 and October 2025. The report examined the PA's operation against armed groups in Jenin in December 2024 and urged the PA to conduct independent investigations, prosecute offenders, and cease targeting journalists and human rights defenders.