UNITED NATIONS, November 15. /TASS/. The United Nations Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories has come to the conclusion that Israel’s actions after the esalation of the Middle East conflict can be classified as genocide, the committee said in a report.

The document covers the period between October 7, 2023, and July 2024.

"The developments in this report lead the Special Committee to conclude that the policies and practices of Israel during the reporting period are consistent with the characteristics of genocide. The targeting of Palestinians as a group; the life - threatening conditions imposed on Palestinians in Gaza through warfare and restrictions on humanitarian aid - resulting in physical destruction, increased miscarriages and stillbirths - and the killing of and serious bodily or mental harm caused to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are violations under international law," the report reads.

The document points out that "civilians have been indiscriminately and disproportionally killed en masse in Gaza, while in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli colonial settlers, military and security personnel have continued to violate human rights and humanitarian law with impunity."

The committee has also come to the conclusion that "senior Israeli government and military officials must be held accountable, including for using dehumanizing language and inciting violence."

The special committee recommended that UN member states should urgently "halt all offensive arms transfers, including weapons, explosives, guns and/or ammunition, to Israel" and "review financial transfer policies that allow religious and charitable organizations to fund activities in Israel, which enable the further sustenance of an apartheid system." In addition, the committee emphasized the need to "hold nationals, including those with dual Israeli citizenship, involved in settler violence or violations in Gaza, accountable for violations of international law."

The UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, established in December 1968, presents annual reports to the UN General Assembly. The current report will be submitted to the General Assembly next week.