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Judge Navi Pillay, a towering figure in international justice, has once again made headlines with her groundbreaking work on the UN Commission of Inquiry into the occupied Palestinian territories. In an exclusive interview with Middle East Eye’s Expert Witness podcast, Pillay detailed the Commission’s findings that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, drawing on her extensive legal expertise and historical precedents from her tenure at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

The Commission’s report, released on October 6, 2025, meticulously analyzed Israel’s actions from October 7, 2023, to July 31, 2025, concluding that four out of the five underlying acts of genocide, as defined by the Genocide Convention, had been committed. These acts include the killing of Palestinians, causing severe physical and mental harm, imposing life-destroying conditions, and preventing births within the group. The report also highlighted the genocidal intent demonstrated by Israeli leaders’ statements and the systematic destruction of Gaza’s cultural, educational, and healthcare infrastructure.

Pillay emphasized the parallels between the current situation in Gaza and the ICTR’s landmark Akayesu case, which established that sexual violence could constitute genocide. She noted that the widespread gender-based violence in Gaza serves as both individual punishment and a collective strategy to humiliate and subjugate the Palestinian population.

The interview also addressed the international community’s failure to act, with Pillay criticizing the UK and US for their complicity through arms sales and sanctions against ICC officials. She called for immediate action to prevent further atrocities and urged states to fulfill their obligations under the Genocide Convention.

Pillay’s career, spanning over six decades, has been marked by her unwavering commitment to justice and human rights. From her early days challenging apartheid in South Africa to her pivotal role in shaping international jurisprudence, she remains a beacon of hope for those seeking accountability and justice on the global stage.

In a recent escalation of violence in Gaza, Palestinian fighters launched an attack on Israeli troops, resulting in the death of an Israeli reservist. According to Israeli news site Walla, the fighters had been hiding in tunnels for months and their actions appear to be independent of the Hamas leadership. The attack occurred in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where the fighters targeted soldiers using heavy equipment. The tunnel in which they were hiding began to collapse, forcing them to act and catching the Israeli soldiers off guard. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered widespread attacks across the Gaza Strip, leading to the deaths of over 100 Palestinians, including 46 children, further violating the fragile ceasefire. The Israeli military believes the fighters had been concealed in a tunnel near the al-Janina neighborhood, an area under Israeli control. Meanwhile, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed on social media to continue efforts to annihilate Hamas, while an MP from his party called for revenge. Separately, the mother of an autistic Palestinian teenager, a citizen of Israel, reported that her son has been abused by prison guards following his detention in the occupied West Bank. The boy, recognized as disabled by the state, was arrested during a family visit and remains in custody despite his mother’s release. His lawyer detailed allegations of severe violence and inhumane conditions in detention, which the Israel Prison Service denies. Additionally, Israeli military data revealed a concerning rise in soldier suicides since the start of 2024, with 279 active-duty soldiers attempting suicide and 48 succeeding. MP Ofer Kasif emphasized the need for support systems for soldiers and an end to the ongoing conflict to address this growing crisis.

In a devastating escalation of violence, Israel launched a series of intense air strikes on Gaza this Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of over 100 Palestinians, nearly half of whom were children. This marks the most severe breach of the ceasefire agreement to date. Israel justified the strikes by accusing Hamas of violating the ceasefire terms, a claim Hamas vehemently denies, asserting full compliance with the agreement. However, evidence suggests that Israel itself has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, including restricting humanitarian aid, keeping the Rafah crossing closed, and conducting frequent air strikes. Since the ceasefire began, Israeli forces have killed 211 people, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where medical supplies, fuel, and essential goods remain critically scarce. The sequence of events leading to Wednesday’s deadly bombardment reveals a pattern of Israeli violations, starting almost immediately after the ceasefire took effect on October 11. These violations include drone strikes, artillery shelling, and incursions beyond agreed deployment lines, often justified by claims of targeting individuals who crossed the ‘Yellow Line.’ Despite Hamas’s calls for mediation and restraint, Israel’s actions have continued unabated, culminating in the latest wave of air strikes. The death toll since the ceasefire began now stands at 211, with overall Palestinian casualties since October 7, 2023, exceeding 68,643, according to leaked military data. Israel has also cited the slow return of deceased captives as a reason for the escalation, despite the ceasefire agreement lacking a specific deadline for such returns. Hamas has returned all living captives and 15 deceased, with efforts to recover more bodies hindered by Israeli restrictions on equipment and access. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with Israel failing to allow the agreed-upon daily aid trucks, leading to severe shortages and a healthcare system on the brink of collapse. The Rafah crossing remains closed, trapping tens of thousands of critically wounded Palestinians who are unable to seek treatment abroad. Middle East Eye continues to provide independent and comprehensive coverage of these developments, shedding light on the ongoing crisis in Gaza.