In a recent military strike, at least 20 Palestinians lost their lives as Israel bombed a refugee camp in southern Gaza, igniting tents and leading to devastating damage, which coincided with a new report from Amnesty International asserting that genocide was occurring in the region.

On Wednesday night, a fire engulfed the tents at the Mawasi camp located in Gaza’s western region near the Egypt border, an area Israel had previously marked as a humanitarian zone. This location has been a refuge for tens of thousands of Palestinians for months following directives from Israel urging civilians to seek safety there.

Local medical sources indicated that many of the deceased were women and children, despite Israel’s military asserting their strikes aimed at high-ranking Hamas members, whose identities were not disclosed.

Witnesses described that the scorched remains of the shelters were filled with bodies wrapped in blankets, alongside burnt clothes, mattresses, and other personal belongings of the displaced.

“We don’t see anyone from the world helping us in this crisis,” stated Abu Kamal Al-Assar, a witness at the scene, to Reuters. “They must halt this relentless war against us. We need peace.”

‘Evidence of Genocide’ by Israel

A recent Amnesty International report disclosed “sufficient evidence suggesting that Israel’s actions in Gaza after October 7, 2023, constitute genocide.”

The report, named “‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza,” was based on interviews with over 200 Palestinians who are victims or witnesses, along with an examination of statements from Israeli officials and various other forms of evidence.

In response, Israel rejected the report’s allegations, referring to Amnesty International as a “disgraceful and extremist organization.”

Following the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants breached Israel’s border, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and numerous hostages taken, Israel initiated its siege and military operation in Gaza. According to Gaza’s health officials, over 43,000 Palestinians have died in the ongoing conflict.

This Gaza war has been described as having “unprecedented magnitude, scale, and duration,” characterized by relentless aerial and ground assaults that have devastated entire neighborhoods and cities, as revealed by Amnesty’s report. The military action has resulted in thousands of children being killed and displaced around 90% of the population.

The findings indicated that Israel has obstructed crucial humanitarian assistance, subjecting “hundreds, if not thousands,” of individuals to torture and forced disappearance. These actions, viewed within the context of what the report describes as “Israel’s unlawful occupation and system of apartheid” in Gaza and other Palestinian regions, imply that Israel has engaged in genocide, according to the organization’s conclusions.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews, a prominent Jewish organization in the UK, dismissed the genocide claims.

“The continuous demonization and delegitimization of Israel by Amnesty International constitutes a willful and disgraceful misrepresentation of the events instigated by Hamas since October 2023, and risks inciting greater anti-Semitism globally,” stated the organization.

This report follows the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, along with Ibrahim al-Masri, a senior Hamas figure, by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Since neither Israel nor the U.S. are part of the court, Netanyahu and Gallant remain safe from arrest within their territories. The ICC, lacking a police force of its own, relies on its member states to enforce any arrest warrants.

Prosecutors claim Netanyahu and Gallant are responsible for war crimes due to their involvement in a “widespread and systemic assault” on Gaza, which included weaponizing starvation by cutting off essential food, supplies, and medicine from Palestinians.

A November report from Human Rights Watch came to a similar conclusion, asserting that Israel engaged in a “massive, intentional forced displacement of Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” amounting to ethnic cleansing.

Pope Francis also remarked that the international community should examine whether Israel’s actions constitute genocide, marking the strongest criticism of Israel’s behavior during the conflict.