An internationally recognised Israeli historian, Lee Mordechai, has produced a detailed and comprehensive report accusing his country of committing genocide in Gaza. The report, titled Bearing Witness to the Israel-Gaza War, documents a wide range of atrocities committed by Israeli forces since their invasion of Gaza, which began in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023.
Mordechai, an associate professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a fellowship at Princeton University, has painstakingly compiled the findings into a 124-page document, supported by over 1,400 footnotes. The historian used a vast array of evidence—including eyewitness accounts, photographs, video footage, and articles—much of which was recorded by Israeli soldiers themselves. Haaretz has described the report as the “most methodical and detailed documentation” of war crimes perpetrated by Israel in Gaza.
Some of the most harrowing incidents covered in the document include a Palestinian woman and her child shot while waving a white flag, girls starving to death as they queue for bread, a handcuffed Palestinian man run over by an Israeli tank, and an airstrike targeting those attempting to help a wounded child. Mordechai’s report also catalogues the suffering of the Palestinian population, with over 44,500 fatalities reported since the war’s onset.
The historian’s findings go beyond documenting atrocities, with a section focusing on “The media, propaganda and the war.” He argues that global media, particularly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, has facilitated Israel’s actions through biased reporting, shaping public discourse in favour of the Israeli government’s stance.
One of the most shocking pieces of footage included in the report shows an Israeli soldier filming a dog eating the corpse of a Palestinian while commenting on the “gorgeous sunset” in Gaza. This disturbing scene, which highlights the dehumanisation of Palestinians by some Israeli soldiers, has drawn widespread condemnation. The report also includes footage of civilians being shot while raising white flags, evidence of sexual assault and humiliation, and testimonies of systematic killings.
Mordechai’s report was first published in January and has since been updated. He explained that he could not remain silent in the face of what he described as a contradiction to the values he was raised with. He expressed the urgency of bearing witness to the atrocities, calling it a matter of life and death.
The historian’s findings have garnered significant attention. Mordechai has confirmed the accuracy of the casualty figures released by Gaza’s Ministry of Health, refuting claims that these numbers are exaggerated. He also documents the heart-wrenching deaths of premature babies whose hospital was evacuated by Israeli forces, with one nurse having to choose which baby would survive based on their strength.
In his report, Mordechai highlights the brutality faced by Gaza’s civilians, including the looting of Palestinian homes by Israeli soldiers, the destruction of humanitarian aid supplies, and the intentional burning of schools. He includes multiple video clips showing soldiers modelling looted women’s underwear and singing songs while Gaza’s infrastructure burns.
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Mordechai argues that Israel’s actions meet the criteria for genocide as defined by the United Nations in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. He clarifies that genocide does not require gas chambers or death camps, but rather deliberate acts intended to destroy a group through killings, wounding, abductions, or attempts to prevent births. According to Mordechai, Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute such an intentional destruction of the Palestinian people.
The historian also points to the second incursion into Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital in March 2024, where Israeli forces allegedly carried out mass killings. While Israel claims that Hamas was using the hospital as a base, they have failed to provide sufficient evidence. Mordechai regards the siege and assault on northern Gaza as a clear example of ethnic cleansing.
The debate surrounding the findings of Mordechai’s report is heated. While some view the historian’s findings as an unflinching exposé of war crimes, others argue that his conclusions may contribute to further polarisation. Nevertheless, his work has provided a crucial record of the devastating impact of Israel’s actions in Gaza, forcing the international community to grapple with the scale of the human suffering.
As Israel’s military operations continue, the world watches closely to see whether this new documentation will lead to any meaningful change in the ongoing conflict, or whether it will remain another tragic chapter in the long history of violence in the region.
