The report, written by Francesca Albanese and available with Dawn.com, notes that Israel’s actions were not carried out in isolation, but with the aid of “third states”.
“The genocide in Gaza was not committed in isolation, but as part of a system of global complicity,” the report stated.
“Rather than ensuring that Israel respects the basic human rights and self-determination of the Palestinian people, powerful third states — perpetuating colonial and racial-capitalist practices that should have long been consigned to history — have allowed violent practices to become an everyday reality.”
The report adds that foreign countries facilitating Israel and shielding it from accountability have enabled Tel Aviv to “embed its regime of settler-colonial apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territory”.
It adds that the Gaza genocide needs to be understood as an “internationally enabled crime”.
“Many states, primarily Western ones, have facilitated, legitimised and eventually normalised the genocidal campaign perpetrated by Israel,” the report read.
“By portraying Palestinian civilians as ‘human shields’ … and the broader onslaught in Gaza as a battle of civilisation against barbarism, they have reproduced the Israeli distortions of international law and colonial tropes, seeking to justify their own complicity in genocide.”
The report noted that successful measures implemented against Apartheid South Africa, Rhodesia and other colonial regimes “demonstrate that international law can be enforced to secure justice and self-determination”.
It added that the international community has the same legal and moral obligation to apply these and other measures against any state perpetrating apartheid.
“Their failure to hold Israel accountable for its long-standing international crimes — despite clear orders from international courts — exposes the flagrant double standards of the international community,” the report read.
It further noted that states have a range of options to prevent violations of international law, including the use of force, arms and trade embargoes, the denial of safe passage and prosecution and punishment.
The UN report states that “influential” third countries’ support of Israel has enabled it to continue its attack on Palestine, through their adoption of Israeli narratives and Washington’s vetoing of UN Security Council resolutions against Tel Aviv.
The report added that Israel has not been expelled from international fora in sports and culture.
“States reverted to treating the situation as a humanitarian crisis to be managed, rather than resolved, by demanding that Israel end its unlawful occupation once and for all, providing further leeway to the assault on Gaza,” it stated.
It added that in February 2024, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands criticised Israel’s invasion of Rafah while simultaneously withdrawing funding from the UN Works and Relief Agency (UNRWA).
The UN also noted that sanctions on Israeli settlers and extremist organisations — including on far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir — created the “illusion of progress” and were isolated acts.
While Arab and Muslim states have long supported the Palestinian cause and produced some collective effort, “these actions have not been decisive, even amid Israeli aggression against six Arab states.”
Additionally, legal action has not borne any fruit, with only 13 states joining South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice and many Western nations “persistently” denying that a genocide took place in Gaza.
The UN noted that while evidence of genocide has mounted, nations are still trading and sending arms to Israel.
“Israel is disproportionately dependent on weapons imports, with the proportion of their total trade more than double the OECD average, and over four times greater than that of the United States,” the report read, naming the US, Germany and Italy among the biggest suppliers.
“The third US–Israel MoU (memorandum of understanding), effective until 2028, guarantees $3.3 billion [per] year in FMF (foreign military financing) plus $500 million [per] year for missile defence.”
The report stated that since October 2023, the US has transferred 742 consignments of “arms and ammunition” and approved tens of billions in new weapon sales.
“Between October 2023 and October 2025, 26 States sent at least 10 consignments of “arms and ammunition” to Israel, the most frequent being China, including Taiwan, India, Italy, Austria, Spain, Czechia, Romania and France,” it read.
Though the UK did not directly supply arms, it did allow for a US supply line to Tel Aviv through its bases in Cyprus and flew 600 surveillance flights over Gaza during the past two years.
The report further stated that third countries were complicit in degrading the living conditions in Gaza, not only by facilitating Israel but also by failing to deliver adequate aid to Palestinians in the enclave.
“Since October 2023, Israel has turned existing restrictions into a full blockade. From October 2023 to January 2025, aid was limited to an average of 107 trucks per day — less than one-third of pre-2023 levels,” the report read, adding that by August this year, famine had been declared in the Gaza Strip.
“The genocidal campaign by Israel has deliberately sought to destroy the humanitarian system sustaining the occupied population,” it further stated.
“It (Israel) has done so through directly bombing UNRWA warehouses, food distribution sites, schools and clinics, killing more than 370 personnel, [launching] defamation campaigns against UNRWA and promoting ad hoc pseudo-humanitarian agencies.”
Instead of opposing Israel’s blockade, nations including Canada, the UK, Belgium, Denmark and Jordan airdropped aid packages in what the report calls an “expensive, inadequate and dangerous response”.
“Naval aid missions to Gaza, attempts by civil society groups to break the siege have been unlawfully intercepted by Israel in international waters — amid silence and inaction by third states,” the report read.
Noting that Israel is heavily dependent on foreign trade for its economy, the report stated that no Western countries have halted trade ties in the face of Israeli violations of international law. In fact, trade between Israel and some countries grew.
Germany (+$836m)
Poland (+$237m)
Greece (+$186m)
Italy (+$117m)
Denmark (+$99m)
France (+$75m)
Serbia (+$56m)
The United Arab Emirates (+$237m)
Egypt (+$199m)
Jordan (+$41m)
Morocco (+$6m)
“Besides the suspension of the trade agreement with Israel, states must also suspend all trade with Israel in dual-use products, as the [European Union] did with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine,” the report urged. “
“Energy trade has often been subject to embargoes aimed at bringing countries in line with their international legal obligations: examples include apartheid South Africa and, currently, Russia and Iran,” it added. “In the case of Israel, only Colombia, which banned coal exports to Israel in 2024, has acted.”
The report stated in its conclusion: “Even as the genocidal violence became visible, states, mostly Western ones, have provided, and continue to provide, Israel with military, diplomatic, economic and ideological support, even as it weaponised famine and humanitarian aid.
“The horrors of the past two years are not an aberration, but the culmination of a long history of complicity.”
Through omissions and discourse in support of Israel, third countries “could and should be held liable for aiding, assisting or jointly participating in internationally wrongful acts”.
“At this critical juncture, it is imperative that third states immediately suspend and review all military, diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, as any such engagement could represent means to aid/assist/directly participate in unlawful acts, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.”
Take immediate steps to end the siege in Gaza, including deploying naval and land convoys to ensure safe humanitarian access and mobile housing before winter Support the re-opening of Gaza’s international airport and port to facilitate aid delivery
Recognise Palestinian self-determination and justice as essential to lasting peace and security .Suspend all military, trade and diplomatic relations with Israel
Investigate and prosecute all officials, corporates, and individuals involved in or facilitating genocide, incitement, crimes against humanity and war crimes and other grave breaches of international humanitarian law
Suspend Israel from the United Nations under Article 6 (a member of the United Nations who has persistently violated the Principles contained in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organisation by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council) of the UN Charter
Act under “Uniting for Peace”, in line with the General Assembly resolution 377(V), to ensure that Israel dismantles its occupation