Amnesty: Israel committing livestreamed genocide in Gaza
Amnesty International has described Israel's actions in Gaza as a "livestreamed genocide", warning that the war is one of the many atrocities showcasing the dangers of human rights backsliding on a global scale.
The annual report warns of the infiltration of authoritarian practices, the crackdown on dissent globally and the overall annihilation of international law.
"Year after year, we have warned of the dangers of human rights backsliding. But events of the past 12 months - not least Israel's livestreamed but unheeded genocide of Palestinians in Gaza - have laid bare just how hellish the world can be for so many when the most powerful states jettison international law and disregard multilateral institutions," said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general.
Callamard added that as "authoritarian laws and practices" increase worldwide to satisfy the interest of a small portion of people, "governments and civil society must work with urgency to lead humanity back to safer ground".
According to Amnesty, with the escalation of conflicts, state forces and armed groups have "acted brazenly", committing war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law that have "devastated the lives of millions".
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The organisation highlighted Israel's war waged on Palestinians in Gaza and the systemic apartheid and occupation of the West Bank, which it said have "turned increasingly violent".
In early December, an Amnesty investigation found that Israel is carrying out a genocide in the Gaza Strip.
The report, titled "You Feel Like You Are Subhuman': Israel's Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza' is based on research and legal analysis carried out since October 2023 and concludes that Israel's war on the enclave is being carried out with "the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza".
Amnesty International is one of the highest-profile rights groups to conclude Israel's actions in Gaza meet the definition of genocidal acts as laid out under the Genocide Convention.
Previously, in a Middle East Eye episode of One on One, Callamard discussed the landmark report, saying that Israel has "committed and continues to commit the crime of genocide" against Palestinians in Gaza.
"The fact that we needed to demonstrate that Israel intended to destroy - in part or in full - the Palestinians in Gaza, this is a difficult threshold and it has taken many months of research and investigation to reach the conclusion that indeed Israel had genocidal intent," she said.
The report also mentions the case at the International Court of Justice in which South Africa has accused Israel of genocide. It notes the International Criminal Court has also issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.
“We applaud the efforts of nations like South Africa and international justice bodies to push back against powerful states hellbent on undermining international law. In so challenging impunity, those nations and bodies set examples for the whole world to follow," Callamard said.
Crackdown on dissent, freedom of expression
Additionally, the annual report identifies the growing clampdown on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, such as the ones seen at the pro-Palestine protests across different countries.
"Governments across the world sought to evade accountability, entrench their power and instil fear by banning media outlets, by disbanding or suspending NGOs and political parties, by imprisoning critics on baseless charges of 'terrorism' or 'extremism', and by criminalizing human rights defenders, climate activists, Gaza solidarity protesters and other dissenters," Amnesty said.
Callamard warned against double standards in following international law and order, stressing that the "international community must now shoulder the responsibility".
Pro-Palestine protestors worldwide, including in the US, Egpyt, UK and Germany, have faced increasing suppression from authority and police.
In some cases, demonstrators have found themselves facing deportation, detainment and other threats from authorities.
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