Istanbul: The Gaza Tribunal issued its final findings and ‘moral judgment’ in Istanbul on Sunday, declaring that Israel is perpetrating genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza, and calling on the international community to take urgent measures to stop it.
According to Anadolu Agency, the statement concluded four days of public hearings where international jurists, experts, and witnesses presented evidence and testimonies on what they described as systematic crimes. It was read out by Christine Chinkin, who chaired the Jury of Conscience. The jury highlighted that the Tribunal serves as a civil society response to the ongoing lack of accountability for the alleged commission of genocide by Israel in the Gaza Strip. They emphasized the necessity to name and document genocide to prevent ongoing violence globally.
The jury stressed that genocide in Gaza is a concern for all humanity and called on civil society to speak out when states remain silent. The tribunal’s work was described as a valuable archive providing evidence of the alleged genocide against the Palestinian people. It expressed solidarity with various global protests against the genocide and the reluctance of states to hold Israel accountable.
The jury’s statement aims to counter the security narrative often presented by Israel and its allies, rejecting the framing of Palestinian suffering as merely a humanitarian disaster. The findings are grounded in international law, human rights treaties, and the moral imperatives of natural justice, aligning with the Sarajevo Declaration adopted in May 2025.
The jury condemned what they termed as ‘an ongoing genocide’ characterized by systematic exterminatory violence, including the mass destruction of homes, infrastructure, and cultural sites. They accused Israel of using hunger, medical care denial, and forced displacement as instruments of genocide, not justified by military objectives.
Specific crimes listed in the statement include the intentional denial of food and water, destruction of healthcare and educational infrastructure, and targeting journalists documenting the genocide. It accused Israel of torture, sexual violence, and targeting political and cultural leaders.
The report also criticized Western governments, particularly the US, for complicity by providing diplomatic and military support to Israel, which it says constitutes a breach of their legal duty to prevent genocide. The findings highlighted that media, academic institutions, and various industries are sustaining the war effort, describing this as the political economy of genocide.
The tribunal linked the current crisis to a long-standing settler-colonial apartheid regime supported by the US and its allies. Despite interventions by international courts, the tribunal accused Israel of ignoring judicial processes with impunity.
The tribunal’s recommendations include holding all perpetrators accountable, suspending Israel from international organizations, and activating a protective force for Palestinian territories. It reaffirmed Palestinians’ right to self-determination and called for dismantling Zionist structures and isolating the regime globally.
The public sessions in Istanbul marked the end of a year-long effort to document what participants assert as Israel’s crimes against Palestinians. The initiative, led by Richard Falk, aimed to create a comprehensive people’s record of alleged genocide, apartheid, and violations of international law in Gaza.