The commission said Israel’s actions meet four of the five acts defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention, including mass killings, serious bodily harm, destruction of essential infrastructure, and conditions designed to destroy the population in whole or in part.
More than 64,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, many of them women and children, according to UN-cited figures.
The report describes the humanitarian catastrophe as deliberate policy, with starvation, mass displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure contributing to what it called an attempt to make Gaza uninhabitable.
The commission has recommended global accountability, including scrutiny of weapons transfers to Israel and prosecution of individuals found responsible.
SAFTU said the report vindicates the South African government’s decision to take Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where South Africa has accused Israel of violating the Genocide Convention.
Despite pressure from Western governments, Pretoria has continued to argue that the war in Gaza constitutes genocide under international law.
However, SAFTU also criticized what it called “double-speak” by South Africa and other BRICS governments, noting that trade with Israel has grown even as leaders condemn the war.
Similar patterns can be seen elsewhere
China and India have also deepened their economic ties with Israel. UN trade data shows that China exported goods worth about US$14.3 billion to Israel in 2024, making it one of Israel’s largest trading partners.
SAFTU also singled out corporations it says are profiting from the war, including mining company African Rainbow Minerals, which has been involved in coal exports to Israel.
The group said these sales were approved by the South African government and warned that such exports raise concerns about indirect support, as some of these weapons could be re-exported or free up capacity for arms transfers to Israel.
The federation renewed its calls for stronger action, including boycotts of Israeli goods, corporate divestment, an end to arms sales and purchases involving Israel, and diplomatic isolation of the country from global platforms.
It also urged workers and unions worldwide to escalate boycott actions, refuse to handle Israeli goods and arms, and organize protests to demand an end to the war.
SAFTU said the UN report confirms what human rights defenders have long argued, and warned that genocide is not only the responsibility of the perpetrator but also of governments and companies that enable it through trade and investment.
“Justice cannot be spoken with one mouth and undermined with the other hand,” the group said, calling for global solidarity to prevent further atrocities in Gaza.
What the UN Report Found
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry said Israel’s actions in Gaza meet four of the five acts defined as genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention:
- Mass killings – large-scale killing of civilians, including women and children
- Serious bodily or mental harm – widespread injury, trauma, and psychological harm
- Destruction of essential infrastructure – destroying water, food, medical, housing, and energy systems needed for survival
- Conditions of life designed to destroy the population – deliberate starvation, siege, and forced displacement
The report also said statements from Israeli political and military leaders showed what it described as “genocidal intent”, and called the humanitarian crisis in Gaza a result of deliberate policy rather than collateral damage.
