**Israeli Rights Groups Accuse Israel of Genocide in Gaza**
In a shocking development, two leading Israeli rights organizations have accused the Israeli government of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The allegations were made by B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHRI) in separate reports based on studies from the past 21 months of conflict.
According to the reports, Israel’s defense forces targeted Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure “in a calculated and systematic manner,” resulting in the dismantling of the territory’s life-sustaining system. The reports also alleged that Israeli leaders used language that labelled all Palestinians in Gaza as being responsible for the conflict, which led to the targeting of healthcare staff and facilities.
**A History of Violence**
The allegations come at a time when tensions between Israel and Gaza have been running high. In October 2023, Hamas launched an attack on Israel that killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Since then, Israeli attacks have killed over 59,900 Gazans, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
**International Response**
The International Court of Justice is currently examining a South African case alleging that Israeli forces commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel has vehemently denied these allegations, calling them “wholly false” and based on biased claims.
**Fear of Retaliation**
PHRI and B’Tselem have expressed concern that their reports may lead to verbal or physical violence against the organizations and their staff in Israel. Dr. Shalev told the BBC that this was a legitimate worry, given the intense scrutiny and criticism that the organizations had faced in the past.
**A Call to Action**
The reports by B’Tselem and PHRI are a call to action for the international community to take immediate action to stop the genocide in Gaza. The organizations emphasized that confronting genocide is not just the responsibility of legal and political institutions, but also requires global health organizations to act urgently.
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