Israel steps up Gaza City offensive as genocide allegations mount

Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip on Monday, 1 September, killed at least 31 people, according to health officials, as the military pressed deeper into Gaza City amid some of the heaviest fighting of the war. At the same time, leading genocide scholars accused Israel of committing genocide — charges the government fiercely denies.

Since declaring Gaza City a combat zone last week, Israel has pounded the area with airstrikes and artillery. Residents reported seeing explosive-laden robots demolish buildings in the Jabaliya refugee camp and on the city’s outskirts.

“Another merciless night in Gaza City,” said Saeed Abu Elaish, a medic from Jabaliya sheltering in the city’s northwest.

Hospitals said Monday’s death toll included at least 13 killed in Gaza City, more than half of them women and children. Israel maintains it targets only militants and blames Hamas for civilian deaths, accusing the group — now largely fighting as a guerrilla force — of embedding itself in densely populated neighborhoods.

War and hunger grip Gaza

The violence compounds a growing humanitarian disaster. The UN’s top food security body warned last month that Gaza is in the grip of famine, driven by fighting, repeated displacement, the collapse of food production, and Israel’s blockade.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, 63,557 Palestinians have been killed and more than 160,000 wounded since the war began. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians but says women and children make up about half the dead. Israel disputes the figures but has not released its own.

Hamas’ 7 October attack on southern Israel killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and led to the capture of 251 hostages. Israel says habout 20 of the 48 hostages still in Gaza are alive.

Genocide scholars issue damning resolution

On Monday, the International Association of Genocide Scholars — the world’s largest professional body in the field — passed a resolution declaring that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide, as well as crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Eighty-six percent of voting members supported the resolution. “Experts in genocide studies can see this situation for what it is,” said association president Melanie O’Brien, a law professor at the University of Western Australia.

Israel’s foreign ministry blasted the statement as “an embarrassment to the legal profession” and said it relied on “Hamas’ campaign of lies.”

In recent months, two Israeli rights groups — B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel — also accused their own government of genocide, joining a growing chorus of international rights organizations.

Hostage funerals stir public anger

Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis attended the funeral of Idan Shtivi, one of two hostages whose remains were recovered last week. Another hostage, Ilan Weiss, was buried in a private ceremony.

Mourners directed their anger at the government for failing to secure a deal with Hamas. “It is very, very infuriating that no one from this government stands up and says enough,” said Ami Dagan from Rishon Letzion.

Mass protests demanding a ceasefire and the release of hostages have swelled in recent weeks, with critics accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political survival.

Flotilla sets sail from Barcelona

In Barcelona, a flotilla of about 20 boats carrying activists from 44 countries — including climate campaigner Greta Thunberg — departed for Gaza after a weather delay.

Dubbed the Global Sumud Flotilla, it is the largest attempt yet to symbolically break Israel’s blockade, though all previous missions have been intercepted at sea. Israel insists the blockade is needed to block arms shipments, saying humanitarian aid can reach Gaza through other channels.

Even so, Israel has further tightened restrictions on food deliveries to northern Gaza as it presses its latest offensive in Gaza City.

With AP/PTI inputs