Britain has not concluded Israel's actions in Gaza are genocide

9/9/2025 19:12

Britain has not concluded that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza despite appalling civilian suffering, according to a government

letter.



Israel has been widely accused of the crime, including by the world's biggest group of genocide scholars, over its nearly two-year campaign in the Palestinian enclave that has killed more than 64,000 people according to local authorities.



Israel rejects the accusation, citing its right to self-defence following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants that killed 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.



David Lammy, Britain's foreign minister until Friday, wrote in a September 1 letter to a parliamentary committee that the government had carefully considered the risk of genocide.