In a damning 179-page report released on Thursday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has unequivocally condemned Israel for committing acts of genocide and the crime against humanity of extermination in Gaza. The US-based human rights organization detailed how Israel has systematically inflicted life-threatening conditions on Palestinians in the besieged enclave, depriving them of essential resources like water, food, and electricity. HRW’s findings echo similar conclusions made by Amnesty International two weeks prior, marking a growing consensus among global watchdogs that Israel’s actions in Gaza are not merely crimes of war but deliberate acts of genocide.
The report, titled “Extermination and Acts of Genocide,” focuses on Israel’s calculated deprivation of Gaza’s water supply, an act HRW described as both a tool of extermination and a clear manifestation of genocidal intent. The report’s executive director, Tirana Hassan, declared, “This isn’t negligence; it is a deliberate policy designed to destroy a population. Thousands have died as a result of dehydration, waterborne diseases, and malnutrition. These atrocities are not incidental—they are intentional.”
A Calculated Tool of Destruction
The deprivation of water is central to HRW’s findings. Israel’s military actions since October 2023 have deliberately targeted Gaza’s water infrastructure, leaving its 2.3 million inhabitants without access to safe drinking water. According to HRW, Gaza’s water pipelines, reservoirs, and desalination plants have been systematically destroyed, with satellite imagery confirming large-scale damage inflicted by Israeli forces.
The results have been catastrophic. Thousands have perished due to dehydration and diseases linked to contaminated water sources, with children being the most vulnerable victims. Gaza’s once-functional healthcare system, now in ruins, has been unable to track or treat the mounting death toll. Reports indicate over 670,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea and 132,000 cases of jaundice since the war began, with preventable childhood illnesses now proving fatal due to widespread malnutrition and dehydration.
HRW emphasized that water deprivation is not incidental but a core element of Israel’s genocidal policy. “Statements from Israeli officials, including calls to cut off water, fuel, and electricity to Gaza, amount to direct and public incitement to genocide,” the report stated. This claim is supported by declarations from Israeli ministers such as Yoav Gallant, who infamously announced a “complete siege” of Gaza, stating, “There will be no electricity, no food, no water. Everything is closed.”
International Legal Action Intensifies
The release of HRW’s report is the latest development in an escalating series of international legal actions against Israel. Last month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Both are accused of orchestrating war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza.
South Africa has also brought a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), presenting 750 pages of evidence detailing acts of genocide and genocidal intent. The ICJ has already issued emergency orders mandating Israel to cease actions that may amount to genocide, though these orders have been blatantly ignored.
The mounting international pressure further exposes Israel’s disregard for global norms. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), another respected humanitarian organization, joined the growing chorus of condemnation this week, highlighting the “clear signs of ethnic cleansing” in Gaza. MSF’s Secretary-General, Christopher Lockyear, emphasized the parallels between their on-ground observations and the legal criteria for genocide, stating, “What we are witnessing is nothing short of ethnic cleansing and mass killings.”
A Crime That Defies Denial
Israel’s response to these allegations has been predictably defiant. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the accusations as “false and outrageous,” doubling down on the rhetoric of self-defense following the October 7 attacks by Hamas that killed 1,200 Israelis. However, this justification crumbles under scrutiny when weighed against the scale and intent of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
HRW’s report dismantles the façade of self-defense, pointing to the intentionality behind the destruction. Satellite imagery reveals that solar panels powering Gaza’s wastewater treatment plants were razed by Israeli bulldozers. Water reservoirs were bombed, with IDF soldiers even filming themselves destroying infrastructure essential for Gaza’s survival.
The evidence presented by HRW also highlights the deliberate targeting of Gaza’s desalination plants, cutting off the population from its primary source of potable water. Despite international condemnation and provisional ICJ orders, Israel’s military continues its campaign of destruction unabated, ensuring the suffering of Palestinians persists.
A Global Failure
The HRW report comes as yet another indictment of international inaction. The Genocide Convention of 1948 obliges signatories to prevent and punish acts of genocide. Yet, despite overwhelming evidence, global powers—particularly the United States—remain complicit in Israel’s crimes. Washington’s unwavering support for Israel, through military aid and diplomatic shielding, underscores its role in perpetuating these atrocities.
The UN and ICC have issued repeated warnings, but their lack of enforcement mechanisms renders their resolutions toothless. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza are left to endure conditions described by HRW as “calculated to bring about their physical destruction.”
Breaking the Silence
The findings of Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and other organizations expose a harrowing truth: the international community is witnessing genocide in real-time. The deprivation of water in Gaza is not merely a side effect of war—it is a weapon wielded with genocidal intent. The complicity of world powers, the silence of international bodies, and the brazenness of Israeli officials underscore the urgent need for accountability.
Gaza’s plight is not an abstract tragedy; it is a calculated, ongoing genocide that demands global outrage and action. History will not absolve those who remain silent.