The UN's Independent International Commission for the Occupied Palestinian Territory has accused Israeli authorities and forces of crimes against humanity in the West Bank, including extermination, torture, rape, other forms of sexual violence and persecution.
The report covers the period since October 7, 2023, and defines the actions of Israeli forces, supported by ongoing Israeli settler violence, as a “widespread and systematic attack“ against the Palestinian civilian population. According to the commission, the persecution was carried out on the basis of nationality, race, ethnicity, gender and age.
A sharp increase in casualties and displacement
The commission states that 254 Palestinians were killed in air strikes in the West Bank between October 7, 2023 and September 30, 2026. For comparison, between 2008 and October 6, 2023, six Palestinians were killed in similar strikes.
The military operations that began in January 2025 have led to the largest displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967. As of August 2026, 34,176 people were displaced from their homes, the report said.
The commission alleges that Israeli forces have deliberately killed and caused serious physical and mental harm to Palestinian children. The investigation also describes cases of sexual violence, which the authors say was used to displace, subjugate and destabilize the Palestinian population.
The Commission calls for an end to the occupation
“The deliberate killing and maiming of Palestinian civilians and the destruction of their homes are part of a broader strategy of extermination and displacement of Palestinians“, said the commission's chairman, Srinivasan Muralidhar.
The commission recommends that Israel implement the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of July 2024, end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and dismantle Israeli settlers and settlements. It also states that confiscated Palestinian property must be returned to its rightful owners.
The Israeli mission in Geneva rejects the conclusions. It said the report was part of a "disinformation campaign" aimed at demonizing Israel and portraying its existence as a crime. The mission called on the international community to reject the findings and demand the dissolution of the commission.
The commission was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021. The new report was presented to the UN General Assembly. The findings represent the conclusions of an investigative body, not a court verdict.
Sources: apnews.com, aljazeera.com, english.wafa.ps