(MENAFN) Since October 7, 2023, Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza has resulted in over 45,500 Palestinian deaths and more than 108,000 injuries. Palestinian officials accuse Israel of deliberately obstructing humanitarian aid, while human rights organizations condemn attacks on vital infrastructure, including water and medical systems. In this context, genocide expert Omer Bartov, an Israeli-American professor specializing in Holocaust and genocide studies, asserts that Israel is engaging in a combination of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and annexation of Gaza.

Bartov explains that Israel's actions in Gaza reflect a deliberate attempt to render the area uninhabitable, targeting not only its physical infrastructure but also its cultural and social foundations. He points to the destruction of critical institutions, including universities, schools, and mosques, as evidence of "urban genocide" aimed at erasing Gaza’s collective identity. This, he argues, goes beyond military operations to include a systematic effort to undermine the ability of the Palestinian people to reconstitute themselves as a community. Bartov's conclusions are based on Israel's statements and actions, such as the invasion of Rafah and the displacement of civilians, which reveal a clear strategy to obliterate Gaza both physically and culturally.

This analysis highlights the severity of the situation and the potential risks of Israel's impunity, which could undermine the international legal framework designed to prevent such atrocities.

MENAFN09012025000045015687ID1109072332