Introduction

The third Platform Report, covering the 58^th year of the Israeli occupation, is being released two years after the October 7 massacre. It offers a summary of the two years of Israel’s devastating war in Gaza in the wake of October 7, and the grave human rights and international law violations across all Palestinian territories that have taken place during that time.

This report is presented by twelve human rights organizations working in Israel. We have engaged in documentation and research in the Occupied Territories for years, driven by the conviction that human rights are universal, that the occupation, illegal and immoral in itself, has led to widespread human rights abuses, breaches of international humanitarian law, and increasingly entrenched apartheid, and, in the context of the war in Gaza, and violations of the laws of war—some so grave they constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The trauma of the events of October 7 and the dramatic aftermath has changed everyday life in Israel beyond recognition, unsettling the sense of safety across every segment of the population.

In these challenging times, practices Israel employed even before the war have intensified to the point where they have become routine and unprecedented in scale. They include: the widespread killing of civilians, including children and the elderly; mass destruction of homes, neighborhoods, and essential infrastructure that has left hundreds of thousands of Gazans displaced, homeless, and without access to basic necessities such as water and shelter; and the broad use of Palestinians as human shields, as they are exploited, placed in harm’s way, and denied their liberty. Palestinians held as security detainees and prisoners have seen their prison conditions deliberately and extensively worsened, and the draconian enforcement of the Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law with oversight scaled back further in accordance with the law’s latest amendment. In the West Bank, settler violence and forced expulsions of Palestinian communities have surged, unchecked by authorities, alongside the increased use of bureaucratic tools to entrench de facto annexation, tighter restrictions on movement, and deepening dispossession in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Meanwhile, space for civil protest and dissent, especially in Israel’s Arab society, has been narrowed by targeted attacks on freedom of expression, the right to demonstrate, and the ability of civil society organizations to operate and speak out.​​

Moreover, we have seen new and deeply troubling trends that not too long ago would have seemed inconceivable. Most shocking are the creation of mass hunger and a humanitarian crisis, among the worst in the world, brought about by the destruction of Gaza’s food production infrastructure and the blocked entry of food, medical aid, and other basic humanitarian assistance, followed by attacks on thousands seeking aid at food distribution centers in Israeli-controlled areas. Hospitals have been struck, and medical, rescue, and aid workers have been killed and detained. Detainees, meanwhile, have been subjected to unbridled systemic abuse, often resulting in irreversible harm, and have been denied medical treatment or provided with care that fails to meet ethical standards. Dozens have died in custody.

While the ceasefire brought some relief for Palestinians in Gaza, the broader reality of the occupation today gives cause for alarm: the ongoing occupation, lethal violence, and harm to Palestinians continue the erosion of fundamental principles such as the sanctity of life, universal human rights, respect for the law and the laws of war and accountability for violations. These values have been compromised to a degree that cannot be rectified without thorough investigation, admission of responsibility, and accountability. To end the war and begin the process of healing, recovery, and calm in the region, all parties must honor the cease-fire agreement, fulfill their obligations under international law, and refrain from causing further harm to civilians. Israel, for its part, must ensure the immediate flow of food and aid in necessary quantities and at the necessary rate; allow the evacuation of thousands of sick and wounded for medical treatment outside Gaza, including to the West Bank; open crossings for the movement of civilians, goods, and aid workers; allow for the reconstruction and restoration of infrastructure; and withdraw, with the required international coordination, from the areas it currently controls. In addition, Israel must bravely and honestly investigate its actions during the two years of fighting, acknowledge war crimes and violations of the law, and draw the necessary conclusions.

Public discourse surrounding the injustices of the occupation and the grave crimes associated with it is at best absent, and often violent and inflammatory. Crimes are rarely investigated by military or civilian law enforcement. In the absence of a resolute systemic response, there is little to prevent these wrongs from escalating, as evidenced by the continued destruction of infrastructure and buildings in Gaza even during the ceasefire, and the rampant violence in the West Bank.

The information presented in this report was rigorously gathered, verified, and cross-checked through sustained efforts. It is difficult to read and absorb. Still, we hope you will engage with it and join us in calling for action and for redressing the injustices it exposes.

This report highlights major trends in the areas of expertise of the partner organizations. Due to space constraints, it does not purport to detail every violation committed by Israel against the Palestinian residents of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Nor does it contain legal analyses, but instead refers to the publications released by the organizations for further reading.

By definition, the report focuses on human rights violations related to the occupation and to civilian resistance against it in Israel. Other rights violations, inside or outside of Israel, by the State of Israel or any other actor, certainly merit attention in other reports.