UN-Commissioned Inquiry Says Israel Committed Genocidal Acts in Gaza Since Ceasefire; Israel Rejects Report

A group of independent experts commissioned by the United Nations said in a report published Monday, October 26, 2026, that the ceasefire in Gaza has not stopped what they describe as genocide by Israel in the territory. The Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory also accused Israeli forces of crimes against humanity in the West Bank, including torture and rape. Israel denies both the genocide allegation and the sexual assault claims. It condemned the report, calling it a misinformation campaign and an effort to demonize and delegitimize the country. The Associated Press reported that Israel did not immediately respond when the report was published. The report describes graphic accounts of sexual assaults by prison guards and soldiers on Palestinian detainees since October 2023, including a pregnant woman who was strip-searched by female guards and a detainee who was beaten, insulted with sexist slurs and denied access to a toilet and sanitary pads. The AP said it could not independently corroborate these accounts. The commission seeks to document allegations and evidence of crimes in detail to support accountability, and its findings could be used by International Criminal Court prosecutors or in other jurisdictions.

The New York Times, the only left-leaning outlet in these articles, frames the story around the panel's conclusion, with a headline saying Israel has committed genocidal acts in Gaza since the cease-fire. It adds the crimes-against-humanity finding for the West Bank and notes briefly that Israel condemned the report. The excerpt gives no detail on the detainee accounts or the legal consequences. Right-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while left-leaning and alternative outlets had; their framing is therefore not available. The alternative coverage mostly matches the left on the core findings but adds distinct elements. The Times of Israel puts Israel's rejection in its headline, using the phrase misinformation campaign. The Hindu, through AP, adds the detainee accounts, the AP's inability to verify them, and the possible use of the findings by prosecutors.