GENOCIDE SCHOLARS SPEAK OUT:

A GROWING CONSENSUS ON ISRAEL'S ACTIONS IN GAZA

As the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza deepens, a growing number of genocide scholars are raising their voices with urgency and clarity. What is unfolding, they say, bears all the hallmarks of genocide.

In interviews, articles, and academic assessments, leading voices in genocide studies are declaring that Israel's sustained military campaign, the scale of civilian casualties, and the explicit rhetoric from Israeli officials meet the legal and moral definitions of genocide under international law. While such accusations have long been politically explosive, experts argue that the evidence now demands sober recognition.

"This Is a Genocide"

Among the most outspoken is Dr. Raz Segal, a genocide historian and associate professor at Stockton University. Segal has described Israel's war in Gaza as a "textbook case of genocide," pointing to not only the mass killing of civilians but also to the destruction of Gaza's infrastructure and Israel's stated intent. In a widely circulated interview, he said: "There is a growing consensus among genocide scholars. This is not a controversial view in the field anymore." More recently, he has also stated, "Can I name someone whose work I respect who doesn't consider it genocide? No."

Segal and others cite the Genocide Convention of 1948, which defines genocide as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group. These include killing, causing serious harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about a group's destruction.

Language of Erasure

One of the key indicators experts cite is the explicit rhetoric used by Israeli leaders. For instance, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's October 2023 statement that "we are fighting human animals" and that Gaza would see "no electricity, no food, no fuel" has been interpreted as incitement to genocide by legal scholars.

Similarly, President Isaac Herzog's comment that "an entire nation is responsible" has been flagged as dangerously broad language that removes the distinction between civilians and combatants—a principle foundational to international humanitarian law.

In a legal brief compiled by The Center for Constitutional Rights, scholars noted: "This kind of dehumanizing and collective language is characteristic of genocidal intent."

A Field-Wide Alarm

Genocide scholar Dr. A. Dirk Moses, author of The Problems of Genocide, echoed these concerns in recent public remarks. He warned that Israel's conduct in Gaza resembles "a destructionist campaign with systematic patterns of civilian targeting and deprivation that cannot be ignored or explained away as collateral damage."

Likewise, Dr. Victoria Sanford, a forensic anthropologist and genocide expert, said: "When you destroy hospitals, refugee camps, water infrastructure, and declare those places legitimate military targets, it becomes very difficult to argue this is simply warfare. It looks like genocide."

A public letter signed by over 800 scholars of genocide, the Holocaust, and international law supports these interpretations. The letter emphasizes the "urgency of recognizing state-perpetrated genocide in real-time" and urges international bodies to act.

Suppressing the Discourse

Despite the mounting academic consensus, critics argue that discussion of genocide in the context of Gaza is being systematically silenced. Some universities have discouraged scholars from making public statements, and major media outlets have largely refrained from using the term "genocide" unless quoting others. Nevertheless, many experts maintain that silence or euphemism in the face of mass atrocity only enables its continuation.

While political leaders debate ceasefires, aid corridors, and military tactics, genocide scholars are sounding a sharper alarm. For them, this is not a matter of opinion or bias—it is about applying the standards of international law, human rights, and historical precedent to a crisis unfolding before the world's eyes.

"We've studied genocides in Rwanda, Bosnia, and Myanmar," said Dr. Segal. "The early signs are always debated. But in hindsight, the picture is clear. This time, we must see clearly now."

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Other Related Articles:

Even Once Reluctant Scholars Now Agree on Israel's Gaza Assault: It's a Genocide (Common Dreams, 5-15-25) "Can I name someone whose work I respect who doesn't consider it genocide? No." - Raz Segal

Israel Racializing Palestinians as Security Threat to Normalize Its Genocide, Scholar Says, as Palestinian Rights Committee Marks Nakba Anniversary (United Nations, 5-15-25)

How Israel’s ‘plan’ for Gaza could turbocharge ethnic cleansing (Al Jazeera, 5-7-25)

Israel and the ‘crime of crimes’ (Coda, 1-30-24) "A destructionist campaign with systematic patterns of civilian targeting and deprivation." - A. Dirk Moses

Israel’s president says the UN world court misrepresented his comments in its genocide ruling (AP News, 1-28-24) "It's an entire nation out there that is responsible." - Isaac Herzog

Defense for Children International - Palestine (Victoria Sanford's Statement) PDF (Center for Constitutional Rights, 11-23) "When you destroy hospitals, refugee camps, water infrastructure... it becomes very difficult to argue this is simply warfare." - Victoria Sanford

Public Statement: Scholars Warn of Potential Genocide in Gaza (Opinio Juris, 10-18-23) "We are compelled to sound the alarm about the possibility of the crime of genocide being perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip." - Public Letter by Scholars

Israel’s Unfolding Crime of Genocide of the Palestinian People & U.S. Failure to Prevent and Complicity in Genocide (Center for Constitutional Rights, 10-18-23) "This kind of dehumanizing and collective language is characteristic of genocidal intent." - Center for Constitutional Rights

“A Textbook Case of Genocide”: Israeli Holocaust Scholar Raz Segal Decries Israel’s Assault on Gaza (Democracy Now!, 10-16-23) "This is not a controversial view in the field anymore." - Raz Segal

Israeli defence minister orders ‘complete siege’ on Gaza (Al Jazeera, 10-9-23) "We are fighting against human animals." - Yoav Gallant