Understanding the atrocities in Gaza: Genocide, urbicide, and domicide in Israel’s war | Updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict

South Africa has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice, accusing it of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a claim backed by 12 other countries. The term “genocide” has been used to describe the deliberate killing of Palestinians, with nearly 40,000 deaths reported. Other terms like urbicide, domicide, politicide, ecocide, educide, scholasticide, and culturcide have also been used to describe the destruction in Gaza, including the deliberate destruction of cities, homes, political representation, environment, education, and cultural heritage. Israel’s actions have left Gaza’s cities and homes in ruins, forced many to leave their homeland, and contaminated vital resources like water. Furthermore, the education system and cultural heritage of Gaza have been severely impacted, with schools and cultural sites destroyed and academics and intellectuals killed. The long-term damage caused by Israel’s actions has led to calls for these actions to be classified as ecocide, a term that describes the destruction of the environment. South Africa’s suit against Israel also includes the destruction of Gaza’s cultural heritage. Despite the devastation and loss caused by Israel’s actions in Gaza, the full extent of the damage and its impact on the Palestinian population is still not fully known.

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