World's Leading Genocide Scholars Declare Israel's Gaza Actions Meet Definition of Genocide

The International Association of Genocide Scholars passes a resolution with 86% support, marking an unprecedented academic consensus on the legal classification of the conflict.

The world's most prominent organization of genocide experts has formally declared that Israel's military actions in Gaza constitute genocide under international law, delivering a stark academic judgment that could intensify legal and diplomatic pressure on the Israeli government. The International Association of Genocide Scholars voted overwhelmingly on August 31, 2025, with 86% of its 500 members supporting a resolution that Israel's "policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide" as outlined in the 1948 United Nations Convention.

The declaration represents the most significant academic intervention to date in the ongoing legal debate over Israel's conduct during its military campaign in Gaza, which began following Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in more than 250 hostages being taken.

Academic Consensus Emerges on Legal Classification

"This is a definitive statement from experts in the field of genocide studies that what is going on on the ground in Gaza is genocide," Melanie O'Brien, the association's president and an international law professor at the University of Western Australia, told Reuters on Monday.

The resolution cites explicitly Article II of the UN Genocide Convention, which defines genocide as acts "committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, in whole or in part". The scholars' declaration argues that Israel's actions have targeted not only Hamas but "the entire Gazan population".

Since its founding in 1994, the International Association of Genocide Scholars has passed only nine resolutions recognizing historic or ongoing episodes as genocides, including those in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, Armenia, and Myanmar. The Gaza resolution marks the organization's first formal declaration on an ongoing conflict involving a close U.S. ally.

Systematic Destruction Cited as Evidence

The resolution details extensive evidence supporting the genocide determination, including what scholars describe as "indiscriminate and deliberate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, starvation, forced displacement, and the systematic destruction of essential services and cultural institutions".

According to the academic analysis, Israel has "forcibly displaced nearly all of the 2.3 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip multiple times" and destroyed more than 90% of the housing infrastructure in the territory. The scholars estimate that Israel's military action has killed over 63,000 people in Gaza, damaged or destroyed most buildings, and forced nearly all residents to flee their homes at least once.

Sergey Vasiliev, an international law professor at the Open University of the Netherlands, told Reuters that the declaration reflects "a growing consensus within academic circles," noting that "this legal evaluation has gained traction in academia, particularly in genocide studies".

Calls for Immediate Action

The resolution demands that Israel "immediately cease all acts that constitute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza." The specific acts listed include "deliberate attacks against and killing of civilians, including children; starvation; deprivation of humanitarian aid, water, fuel, and other items essential to the survival of the population; sexual and reproductive violence; and forced displacement of the population".

The scholars also called for compliance with provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice and arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, while urging all states to meet their obligations under international law.

Israel Rejects Academic Assessment

Israel has consistently and strongly denied that its military operations constitute genocide, maintaining its actions are necessary for self-defense against Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union. The Israeli government is currently defending itself against genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

The Times of Israel reported that Israel's Foreign Ministry rejected the scholars' declaration as "an embarrassment to the legal profession." However, no immediate official response was available from Israeli authorities regarding the specific IAGS resolution.

Broader Academic Scrutiny

The IAGS resolution follows previous academic analyses that have reached similar conclusions. In May 2024, the University Network for Human Rights, including researchers from Boston University School of Law, Cornell Law School, the University of Pretoria, and Yale Law School, published a report concluding that "Israel has committed genocidal acts" in Gaza.

That earlier study, led by Boston University's Susan Akram, found that Israel had engaged in "killing, seriously harming, and inflicting conditions of life calculated, and intended to, bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza".

International Legal Implications

Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Gaza's Government Media Office, characterized the IAGS resolution as substantiating "documented evidence presented to international courts" and imposing "a legal and ethical responsibility on the global community to take immediate measures to halt the crime, safeguard civilians, and hold the occupiers' leaders accountable".

The academic consensus could influence ongoing legal proceedings at international courts and potentially affect diplomatic relations between Israel and countries that are signatories to the Genocide Convention, which obligates states to prevent and punish genocide.

As the conflict approaches its first anniversary, the authoritative academic declaration adds significant weight to international legal challenges facing Israel, while highlighting the deep divisions over how the international community should respond to the devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.