A United Nations investigation has concluded that Israel committed the crime against humanity of "extermination" by killing civilians sheltering in educational and religious buildings in Gaza, part of what it calls a “concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life.”

UN Commission Alleges Systematic Targeting of Civilians

The findings come from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, led by former UN rights chief Navi Pillay. In a statement released Tuesday, Pillay said, “We are seeing more and more indications that Israel is carrying out a concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life in Gaza.”

The report, which will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council on June 17, says Israel’s strikes on schools and religious sites resulted in war crimes and crimes against humanity, specifically “wilful killing” and “extermination.”

Devastation of Gaza’s Educational and Cultural Life

According to the commission, Israel’s military campaign has destroyed more than 90% of Gaza’s school and university buildings and more than half of all religious and cultural sites.

“These attacks will harm not just the present generations but generations to come,” Pillay warned, adding that they seriously undermine Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

The report extends beyond Gaza, citing harassment and arrests of Palestinian students and educators in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and even within Israel, where expressions of solidarity with Gaza have triggered dismissals and detentions.

Israeli Rejection and Political Context

Israel, which withdrew from the Human Rights Council in February 2025, has dismissed previous UN findings as biased and antisemitic. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded similarly to a March report accusing Israel of “genocidal acts.”

The conflict was reignited by a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people in Israel and led to 251 hostage-takings. Since then, over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli operations, according to Gaza health officials.