After months of debate, Wikipedia editors have voted to rename an article detailing accusations of genocide in the Gaza Strip from “Allegations of Genocide in the 2023 Israeli Attack on Gaza” to simply “Gaza Genocide.”
- This comes after a June decision by Wikipedia editors to label the Anti-Defamation League as “generally unreliable” for information on antisemitism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Further Context: Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip has resulted in over 39,000 deaths, primarily civilians. However, data collection has become increasingly difficult due to the destruction of infrastructure.
- The Palestinian Health Ministry estimated back in May that approximately 10,000 bodies were left unaccounted for because they remain missing under the rubble.
- On July 5, The Lancet medical journal published a letter from three academics suggesting that indirect deaths due to factors such as disease could mean the death toll is several times higher than official estimates, potentially exceeding 186,000.
Between the lines: While civilian deaths alone are not enough to accuse Israel of genocide, the Wikipedia article lists numerous direct statements from Israeli officials in the wake of Hamas’ October 7th raid, which suggest genocidal intent in their invasion of the Gaza Strip.
- On October 9th, 2023, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, “We are imposing a complete siege on Gaza. There will be no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel, everything will be closed. We are fighting against human animals and will act accordingly.”
- On October 13th, 2023, Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz posted on X/Twitter “All the civilian population in Gaza is ordered to leave immediately. We will win. They will not receive a drop of water or a single battery until they leave the world.”
- Israeli Minister of Agriculture Avi Dichter called for the war to be “Gaza’s Nakba” on November 14th, 2023, referencing the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1948 during the establishment of the state of Israel.
In the headlines: Israeli officials have continued to openly justify genocide despite such statements being a key component of South Africa’s lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
- Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich implied that blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza could be “justified and moral” even if it led to mass civilian deaths.
- “Nobody will let us cause 2 million civilians to die of hunger even though it might be justified and moral until our hostages are returned.”
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