ICSPR Issues a Human Rights Report Titled “Genocide Through the Dismantling of Life: How War is Waged Against the Civilian Environment in Gaza”
Date: March 26, 2026
Press Release
ICSPR Issues a Human Rights Report Titled “Genocide Through the Dismantling of Life: How War is Waged Against the Civilian Environment in Gaza”
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) has issued a human rights report titled: “Genocide Through the Dismantling of Life: How War is Waged Against the Civilian Environment in Gaza,” prepared by researcher Mohammed Aslim. The report examines in detail the compounded violations faced by civilians in the Gaza Strip amid ongoing military operations, which have gone beyond direct killing to target all fundamental components of civilian life.
The report indicates that what is happening in Gaza cannot be understood as isolated incidents of bombardment, displacement, or infrastructure destruction, but rather as an integrated pattern aimed at dismantling civilian life itself. This includes the targeting of hospitals, water and electricity networks, schools, housing, and the social fabric, reflecting a systematic approach to weakening the population’s ability to survive and reshaping their living conditions.
The report reveals that more than 67,000 people have been killed, including over 20,000 children and 13,000 women, while the number of injured has exceeded 169,000, many suffering from permanent disabilities. Approximately 80% of housing units have been partially or completely destroyed, forcing around 1.9 million people over 85% of the population to become internally displaced.
It further confirms that the targeting of the healthcare system has been one of the most prominent tools of the war. A total of 38 hospitals have been put out of service, 96 health centers have been completely damaged, and 192 health facilities have been targeted. Additionally, 1,670 medical personnel have been killed and 362 detained, with three reported to have died in detention. Around 22,000 patients have been denied access to treatment abroad, including 12,500 cancer patients.
The report also highlights that the destruction of infrastructure including roads, water, and electricity networkscombined with starvation policies and restrictions on the entry of essential resources, has contributed to undermining recovery capacity and reshaping the population’s geography. This reflects a systematic policy aimed at subjecting civilians to living conditions intended to gradually destroy their lives.
The report stresses that this pattern of targeting does not constitute collateral damage of war, but rather represents a structural crime in violation of international law, including the rules of international humanitarian law and the 1948 Genocide Convention. It also reflects the absence of effective international accountability for such violations.
The report concludes by emphasizing that protecting civilians in Gaza requires urgent international intervention to activate accountability mechanisms, ensure access to justice and remedies, and put an end to impunity, thereby contributing to the protection of the civilian environment and the restoration of normal life for the population.
