Gaza faces escalating violence as UN rules Israel guilty of genocide

The Israel-Gaza conflict has been intensifying over the two years, rooted in long-standing tensions over territory, security, and political control. Repeated cycles of airstrikes, rocket fire, and military operations have devastated civilian areas, displacing thousands and straining humanitarian resources. Gaza’s densely populated neighborhoods have borne the brunt of the violence, leaving residents in constant fear as the conflict shows no sign of abating.

Palestinians are fleeing Gaza City as Israel launches a major ground offensive, with residents describing “heavy, relentless” bombardment. Since dawn, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 52 people across Gaza, intensifying fears of a humanitarian catastrophe.

The escalation comes in the wake of a landmark ruling by the U.N.’s top investigative body on Palestine and Israel, which found Israel guilty of committing genocide in Gaza. The 72-page report, commissioned by an independent body, task by the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Palestine and Israel concluded that Israeli leaders had intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a group, committing four of the five acts prohibited under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

The report serves as the first comprehensive legal probe by a U.N. body into the conflict and is expected to influence a separate International Court of Justice case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide, a case that could take several years to conclude.

As Gaza endures escalating attacks, the U.N. ruling adds renewed international pressure on Israel while highlighting the severe and ongoing humanitarian crisis for Palestinians trapped in the territory.