NEW YORK, 14 October 2026 — A new UN Commission of Inquiry report has sparked a diplomatic clash after concluding that Israel continued “genocidal acts” in Gaza and the occupied West Bank even after the October 2025 ceasefire.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory presented its findings to the General Assembly on Tuesday. It alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity including extermination, persecution, torture, and sexual violence.
The commission said Israeli territorial control in Gaza expanded from about 53% to at least 60% after the ceasefire, turning the “Yellow Line” into a de facto border. It reported 1,431 Palestinian deaths in Gaza between 10 October 2025 and 30 September 2026, including 300 children. A further 137 deaths were recorded in the West Bank.
Muralidhar Defends Findings
Commission chair Justice (Retd.) S. Muralidhar said the findings were based on evidence gathered under protocols aligned with the ICJ and ICC. He rejected claims of political bias. Muralidhar said continued killings and home demolitions reflected a strategy to displace Palestinians and make conditions unliveable. He also criticised a reported US remark calling Israel “the Jew among nations” as “thoughtless, tasteless, and maybe even racist.”
US and Israel Reject Report
The US called the findings baseless and accused the UN of institutionalised antisemitism. Israel dismissed the report as “historical fiction” and “propaganda,” with its Geneva mission calling it a “misinformation campaign” and demanding the commission be dissolved.The EU took note of the report and urged humanitarian access. The controversy now centres on whether the “genocide” conclusion is backed by impartial evidence, or reflects structural bias.
