Mass Killing, Starvation of Palestinians Officially Labeled Genocide By Region's Most Respected Human Rights Org

The mass killing and starvation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has officially been labeled a genocide by two of the most respected human rights organizations based in Israel.

B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) pleaded to the international community to use any and all tools to help "stop the genocide" being carried out by their home country, B'Tselem said in a press release.

The human rights group concluded that Israel "is taking coordinated action to intentionally destroy Palestinian society in the Gaza Strip," in a report published Monday after examining statements made by Israeli officials, the policies used in Gaza and their outcomes.

B'Tselem warned that if the Israel continues on their path and if they are not held accountable, "there is a real risk the genocide will spread beyond the Gaza Strip," based on the statistics, personal testimonies and documentation in their report.

"Nothing prepares you for the realization that you are part of a society committing genocide. This is a deeply painful moment for us," B'Tselem Executive Director Yuli Novak said. "But as Israelis and Palestinians who live here and witness the reality every day, we have a duty to speak the truth as clearly as possible: Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians."

Meanwhile, PHRI concluded that Israel's assault on Gaza met the requirements to be labeled a genocide after conducting their own legal and medical analysis, citing Israel's attacks on Gaza's hospitals, blocking medical aid from entering the Strip and killing first responders and healthcare professionals.

"As people who believe in the sanctity of life, we are obligated to speak the truth: this is genocide, and we must fight it," PHRI's Executive Director Dr. Guy Shalev said. "This is a clear and consistent pattern of destruction. It is our duty as medical professionals, and to our colleagues in Gaza who are risking their lives to save others under impossible conditions, to face the truth and do everything we can to protect them."

Though multiple human rights groups, including a United Nations Special Committee and Amnesty International, have declared Israel's assault in Gaza a genocide, this marks the first time Israel-based organizations have spoken out against the country.

Israel has defended its actions as "self defense" in response to the militant group Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023, which left about 1,200 Israelis dead. Since then, more than 59,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks while trying to receive food aid in Gaza as the humanitarian situation worsens. Several children have died in Gaza from starvation as thousands more face acute malnutrition.

While speaking to reporters Monday morning, President Donald Trump said that he does not believe Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claims that there is no starvation in Gaza, but insisted that the U.S. is "giving a lot of money and a lot of food" to help.