Former Israeli attorney general says Israel committing genocide in Gaza
"Jews, who went through a genocide 80 years ago, are committing genocide in Gaza," Ben-Yair, writing on X on Tuesday, said.
"Shame, rage and sorrow," he added.
His comment was a caption to a news report by Haaretz on two leading Israeli human rights organisations, B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI), calling Israel's actions in Gaza a genocide on Monday.
While global human rights bodies like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have been using genocide to describe Israel's actions in Gaza for several months now, the report marks the first time an Israeli organisation has formally used the word.
In its report, B'Tselem examined Israel's policies in Gaza and statements made by senior Israeli politicians and military commanders on its goals in the enclave.
"Explicit attempt to destroy the population of Gaza and impose living conditions so catastrophic that Palestinian society cannot continue to exist there. That is the exact definition of genocide," B'tselem said.
Meanwhile, PHRI's report presented a detailed legal analysis of Israel's war on Gaza, focusing on the dismantling of Gaza's healthcare system.
Israel has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians and wounded over 145,000 others since 7 October 2025, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Also read: Former Israeli attorney general says Israel committing genocide in Gaza
Palestinians walk with sacks of flour after trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered northern Gaza on 27 July 2025 (AFP/Bashar Taleb)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East Eye
42 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Israel torches ‘safe zone' in south Gaza as four more killed by starvation
Overnight attacks by Israel on displacement tents caused fires to erupt in al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis in south Gaza, resulting in a number of civilian casualties. Clips shared online show flames engulfing the tents, as local sources noted that Palestinians attempting to extinguish the fires had to use primitive equipment, due to the absence of emergency crews after their repeated targeting. The aerial assault on the Israeli-designated "humanitarian zone" follows several expulsion orders issued to residents of al-Zeitoun neighbourhood, in Gaza City. The residents had been ordered to immediately head towards al-Mawasi. The forced displacement spanned some 1.5 square miles across five neighbourhoods in Gaza and Khan Younis governorates, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) indicated in its latest update. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Although al-Mawasi has been considered a "safe zone", the Israeli military has repeatedly bombed the area over the past year and a half. Palestinians in Gaza, along with the UN, have long stated that there are no safe zones in the territory. Ocha said late in July that "there is simply nowhere safe to go" in the Gaza Strip. "About 88 percent of Gaza is either subject to displacement orders or located within Israeli-militarised zones. The 12 percent that remains is already overcrowded and underserved," its report read. Assaults on schools sheltering civilians Safe zones and shelters across the besieged enclave, including those located in schools, have not been spared in Israel's bombardment campaign. Human Rights Watch indicated in a report on Thursday that Israeli attacks on schools sheltering Palestinians "highlight the absence of safe places for Gaza's displaced people. "Israeli strikes on schools sheltering displaced families provide a window into the widespread carnage that Israeli forces have carried out in Gaza," said Gerry Simpson, associate crisis, conflict and arms director at Human Rights Watch. 'Other governments should not tolerate this horrendous slaughter of Palestinian civilians merely seeking safety' – Human Rights Watch "Other governments should not tolerate this horrendous slaughter of Palestinian civilians merely seeking safety." According to recent figures from the Occupied Palestinian Territory education cluster, 97 percent of schools in the Gaza Strip have sustained some level of damage. The assessment found that 432 school buildings sheltering civilians (76.6 percent of the total) have been directly hit by the Israeli army since the start of Israel's war on Gaza. Overall, the Israeli army has killed more than 61,150 Palestinians since October 2023, including at least 18,000 children. 'Systematic chaos' The Government Media Office in Gaza has indicated that amid what it described as "systematic chaos", Israel has prevented the entry of nearly 6,600 relief trucks. So far, only 14 percent of the intended quota of humanitarian aid has entered the besieged enclave, as starvation runs rampant among the population. Over the past 24 hours, the Gaza Health Ministry recorded four new deaths from malnutrition caused by Israel's blockade on Gaza. This brings the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition to 197, with nearly half of the casualties children. Falling aid crate kills Palestinian nurse in Gaza Read More » "The Gaza Strip needs more than 600 trucks daily to meet the minimum needs of 2.4 million people, amid the near-total collapse of infrastructure due to the ongoing war and genocide," the ministry wrote in its press release. The Palestinian territory has been under complete siege since the war began, but Israeli officials have strengthened the blockade in recent months, leading to malnutrition and what the UN describes as a "worst-case scenario" of famine. As Israel controls land entrances to Gaza and refuses to allow adequate aid into the territory over land, several countries have dropped aid over the territory from the air. Aid groups criticise the strategy as inefficient and incapable of providing the level of food and other resources needed by Palestinians in Gaza. Cindy McCain, director of the World Food Programme (WFP), criticised the relief distribution method, writing on X: "We can't airdrop our way out of an unfolding famine. Not in Gaza." She explained that land delivery is the best method for aid to reach the majority of those who need it. "We're grateful for the support, but we can't afford to wait - Gaza is out of food and out of time."
Gulf Today
an hour ago
- Gulf Today
US is no longer first choice for international students
In China, wait times for US visa interviews are so long that some students have given up. Universities in Hong Kong are fielding transfer inquiries from foreign students in the US, and international applications for British undergraduate programs have surged. President Donald Trump's administration has been pressuring US colleges to reduce their dependence on international enrollment while adding new layers of scrutiny for foreign students as part of its crackdown on immigration. The US government has sought to deport foreign students for participating in pro-Palestinian activism, reported Associated Press. In the spring, it abruptly revoked the legal status of thousands of international students, including some whose only brush with law enforcement was a traffic ticket. After reversing course, the government paused new appointments for student visas while rolling out a process for screening applicants' social media US remains the first choice for many international students, but institutions elsewhere are recognizing opportunity in the upheaval, and applicants are considering destinations they might have otherwise overlooked. The impact on US universities — and the nation's economy — may be significant. New international enrollment in the US could drop by 30% to 40% this fall, according to an analysis of visa and enrollment data by NAFSA, an agency that promotes international education. That would deprive the US economy of $7 billion in spending, according to the analysis. Many international students pay full price, so their absence would also hurt college budgets, Associated Press reported. As the second most popular destination for international students, Britain is positioned to benefit. The country's new Labour government has vowed to cut migration, and officials have imposed time limits on post-study visas allowing graduates to stay and work. But admissions consultants say the United Kingdom is still seen as the most welcoming of the traditional "big four" English-speaking destinations in higher education — the US, UK, Canada and Australia. After declining last year, the number of international applications for undergraduate study in the UK this fall grew by 2.2%, official figures show. A record number of applications came from China, up 10% compared with the previous year. Applications from the US also reached nearly 8,000 students — an increase of 14% and a 20-year high. Acceptances of international students for graduate programs in the UK grew an estimated 10% from last year, driven by demand for business and management courses in particular, according to data from UniQuest, which works with many British universities on admissions. Data showing the extent of any impact will not be available until fall, said Mike Henniger, CEO of Illume Student Advisory Services, a consultancy that works with colleges in the US, Canada and Europe. "But the American brand has taken a massive hit, and the UK is the one that is benefiting," he said. Demand from Chinese students has risen rapidly for universities places in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, said Will Kwong, managing director of AAS Education, a consultancy in Hong Kong. Many Western universities have offshore campuses there that are more affordable than going to the US or UK. "Opting for study in Asia has been a trend since the easing of COVID-19," Kwong said. "But obviously it's been exacerbated by the change of administration in the US." Some Asian families have told him the US is no longer their clear first choice because of political turbulence and visa difficulties, many are still waiting for US visa interviews and will likely miss the start of the fall term, Kwong said. Chinese college student Alisa, who is studying data science, plans to attend an exchange program this fall at the University of California, Berkeley. She hopes to pursue a master's degree in the US. But she is also looking into other options "just so I could still go to school if the extreme scenario occurs," said Alisa, who spoke on condition of partial anonymity out of fear of being targeted.
Gulf Today
an hour ago
- Gulf Today
Sisi says Israel's war in Gaza ‘systematic genocide'
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Tuesday Israel was pursuing 'a war of starvation and genocide' in Gaza, and denied accusations Cairo prevented life-saving aid from entering the Palestinian territory. 'The war in Gaza is no longer merely a war to achieve political goals or release hostages,' Sisi told a press conference in Cairo along with his Vietnamese counterpart. Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, vowing to crush the Palestinian group and to free hostages. The Israeli cabinet is set to convene on Thursday at 6 pm (1500 GMT) as Israel considers a full Gaza takeover, Israeli media reported on Tuesday. To Sisi, 'this war has long since surpassed any logic or justification, and has become a war of starvation and genocide'. 'There is systematic genocide to eradicate the Palestinian cause,' he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday Israel must 'complete' the defeat of Hamas to free hostages held in Gaza, a day after Israeli media reported the army could occupy the entire territory. Israel has heavily restricted aid into Gaza which is slipping into a catastrophic famine 22 months into the war. It has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. Following mounting international pressure on Israel, in late May aid has only began trickling into Gaza, which borders Israel and Egypt. In response to what Sisi said were 'bankrupt' accusations of Egypt's complicity in the siege, the president reiterated that the Rafah border crossing with Gaza was 'never closed'. The crossing at Rafah was a vital entry point of aid in the early months of the war, until Israeli troops took over its Palestinian side in May 2024, forcing it shut. 'The crossing was able to bring in aid as long as there were no Israeli troops stationed on the Palestinian side of the crossing,' Sisi said, adding that there are 5,000 trucks loaded with aid waiting to enter Gaza. He also defended what he said was Egypt's consistently 'positive' role seeking an end to the conflict. Since the war began, Cairo has undertaken a delicate balancing act, retaining its position as a mediator between Israel and Hamas -- along with the United States and Qatar -- while repeatedly criticising Israel's assault. Cairo has also repeatedly refused US plans to displace Palestinians into Egypt, lobbying for a reconstruction plan for the territory that has fallen by the wayside as truce talks repeatedly folded. 'Egypt will always remain a gateway for aid, not a gateway for the displacement of the Palestinian people,' Sisi said on Tuesday. 'We are prepared to allow aid in at any time, but we are not prepared to receive or displace Palestinians from their land.' Last week, Sisi urged US President Donald Trump -- who had touted the plan to displace Palestinians into Egypt -- to intervene, saying he 'is the one capable of ending the war, brining in aid and ending this suffering'. Despite intense international pressure for a ceasefire to ease hunger and appalling conditions in the besieged Palestinian enclave, efforts to mediate a truce between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas have collapsed. Eight more people died of starvation or malnutrition in the past 24 hours, Gaza's health ministry said, while another 79 died in the latest Israeli firing. An Israeli official had earlier told Reuters that Defence Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a confidant of Netanyahu, would also attend the meeting to decide on a strategy to take to cabinet this week. A Palestinian official said the suggestion of a full takeover of Gaza may be a tactic to pressure Hamas into concessions, while the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged foreign nations to take heed of the reports. 'The ministry urges countries and the international community to treat these leaks with utmost seriousness and to intervene urgently to prevent their implementation, whether these leaks are meant to exert pressure, test international reactions, or are genuine and serious,' it said. Agencies
