Palestinians gather to collect water amid shortages as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.“This policy, inflicted as part of a mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, means Israeli authorities have committed the crime against humanity of extermination, which is ongoing. This policy also amounts to an ‘act of genocide’ under the Genocide Convention of 1948,” Human Rights Watch said in its report.
It cited statements by some senior Israeli officials which it said suggested they “wish to destroy Palestinians “which means the deprivation of water “may amount to the crime of genocide”. Both reports came just weeks after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense chief for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. They deny the allegations.