“Gaza Tribunal Investigates Genocide Allegations in Gaza”
“Gaza Tribunal Investigates Genocide Allegations in Gaza”
The first public hearing of the Gaza Tribunal, established to investigate the legal, political, and ethical dimensions of the events unfolding in Gaza under Israeli attacks, has commenced in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Academics, intellectuals, human rights defenders, as well as representatives from the media and civil society organizations have convened in Sarajevo to investigate the war crimes Israel continues to commit in Gaza.
Under the leadership of former United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Palestine Richard Falk, the Gaza Tribunal initiative was established with humanitarian and moral objectives. The sessions, which began at the International University of Sarajevo (IUS), address issues such as settler-colonial genocide, patterns of genocide, apartheid, forced population transfer, the protection of civilians, the shortcomings of the UN system, and the criminalization of protests.
Falk, joining the meeting online, stated that genocides in the past became known thanks to the testimonies of the victims.
Emphasizing that Israel has made almost no effort to conceal its genocidal intent or camouflage its methods, Falk said: “Israel has openly declared its aim to kill Palestinians, either through bombings or by depriving them of food and medicine. Israeli leaders have even resorted to stories of genocide from the Torah to legitimize the annihilation of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Some leading Israeli officials and public figures have likened the mindset of killing Palestinians to crushing cockroaches. Some have even advocated dropping a nuclear bomb on the densely populated Gaza Strip. The Israeli hostages held by Hamas have not deterred Israel’s violence, nor have they influenced the government to agree to a permanent ceasefire.”
What is the core idea of the Gaza Tribunal?
Ahmet Köroğlu, Project Coordinator of the Gaza Tribunal, told reporters that they have been witnessing genocide and war crimes in Gaza for months.
Expressing their expectation that international legal institutions and governments would address the issue in Gaza, Köroğlu said: “The idea that intellectuals might also bear responsibility in resolving this issue forms the core philosophy and method of the Gaza Tribunal. We first held preliminary meetings in London and Istanbul. Today, we are holding our first public hearing here in Sarajevo. As you can see, many academics, intellectuals, journalists, and witnesses are present. The program includes numerous witness testimonies. A jury will also be formed. Our final session will be held in Istanbul in October, where the jury will also be present. We believe that the fact that genocide can still occur in the 21st century must be understood through our mental framework, ethical perspectives, and philosophical dimensions.”
Köroğlu noted that philosophers, ethics experts, and intellectuals are working at the tribunal, adding,
“Testimonies and victim statements are being collected to prepare documents to be submitted to the tribunal. These documents will be evaluated at both the Sarajevo and Istanbul sessions, and a final decision text will be prepared.”
Stating that they aim to prepare a comprehensive report with intellectual contributions focused on ethics, philosophy, and other areas, Köroğlu said,
“This document will not only be directed to courts but also to policymakers and intellectuals.”
“We are here to cry out that this genocide must be stopped”
Prof. Dr. Penny Green, a member of the tribunal and expert in Law and Globalization at Queen Mary University of London, stated that the tribunal initiative is conducting its first public hearing on what is happening in Gaza.
Green noted that there is currently an international case filed by South Africa against Israel, continuing:
“Under international law, questions about genocide are being addressed. But we are here today as part of civil society and as people of conscience, to discuss the details of the horror taking place in Gaza, and to present expert testimonies and witness accounts that show the extent of the suffering inflicted on the Palestinian people. We aim to reveal the effort to destroy the lives, livelihoods, culture, and infrastructure of Palestinians in Gaza.”
Highlighting the gathering of intellectuals, journalists, experts, and witnesses from Gaza and various parts of the world, Green stated that the tribunal initiative is proceeding in parallel with legal processes.
Green concluded by saying that they are discussing the extent of destruction endured by the people of Gaza over the past 19 months.
“We have sessions on settler colonialism, genocide, apartheid. All of these are state crimes committed by Israel and its accomplice neighbors—particularly the United States, which finances this genocide, as well as the United Kingdom and other European countries that support it. We are here to raise our voices and declare that this genocide must be stopped. The vast majority of people around the world are against this genocide, and they oppose the crimes committed by Israel and the United States against the Palestinian people.”
Green added that they aimed to create even a small impact regarding the events in Gaza and that they represent the people around the world who oppose genocide.
“International law is like a closed world in itself”
Jeff Halper, who lives in Jerusalem and chairs the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, stated that they are currently in the midst of a genocide and emphasized the need to focus on what is happening in Gaza.
“The genocide in Gaza represents the final stage of the Zionist project to seize control of Palestine,” Halper said, and continued:
“This process appears to be the final push, the last effort to completely remove Palestinians from Palestine and turn an Arab country into a Jewish state. That’s why the Gaza Tribunal is not only important for shedding light on what is happening, but also for placing these events in a political context. International law is like a closed world in itself. Our aim with this meeting is to expand this field and add a political discussion alongside the legal debate.”
Final verdict to be delivered in Istanbul
The Gaza Tribunal initiative was founded in November 2024 at a meeting in London attended by academics, intellectuals, human rights advocates, and representatives of civil society organizations. The reason for its creation was the "complete failure of the international community to apply international law in Gaza."
At the final hearing to be held in Istanbul in October, a panel composed of experts in law, culture, politics, and civil society will listen to the testimonies of victims and witnesses and present a draft of the final verdict. Additionally, based on the latest developments in the Gaza Tribunal process, the panel will announce specific recommendations and special mandates.
How was the Gaza Tribunal formed to examine the events in Gaza?
The Gaza Tribunal was primarily formed to investigate and evaluate allegations of serious human rights violations and international crimes—including genocide—committed by Israel following October 7.
Comprising relevant human rights defenders, international law experts, and individuals focused on human rights violations in Gaza, the tribunal is organized as an initiative by international and regional civil society organizations.
Established as an independent initiative, the tribunal aims to draw global attention to the grave human rights violations against the Palestinian people.
The hearings, which focus on the dimensions of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, aim to address the lack of accountability regarding Israel’s ongoing war crimes and will hear testimonies from individuals and civil society organizations affected by these crimes. Israel will be tried in absentia by the tribunal members for committing genocide and war crimes in Gaza.
The tribunal aims to conduct its proceedings with complete transparency, to work independently of global power centers, without restrictions, and to complete its mandate within an accessible timeframe.
The Gaza Tribunal seeks to offer an alternative forum for addressing human rights violations that international legal bodies such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have been unable to process due to political influences or lengthy procedures. While not an alternative to the ICC or ICJ, the tribunal aims to support these institutions by producing legally sound outcomes and raising global awareness.
The Sarajevo Declaration will be presented to the public
As part of the program, panels titled “Political Realism and Contemporary Geopolitics” and “The Political Economy of Genocide” will be held, along with a special session titled “From Srebrenica to Gaza.”
On the final day of the Gaza Tribunal, a Sarajevo Declaration will be presented to the public, prepared with the contributions of all participants.
The tribunal is organized with the support of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), which includes youth organizations from 50 member countries and representatives from 16 international youth organizations of Muslim minorities, bringing the total number of supporting youth organizations to 66.