Israel Defends Against Genocide Accusations Amid Ceasefire Talks

Palestinians received flour supplies after trucks entered from the Karem Abu Salem crossing in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025, as a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions held. The agreement came ahead of a U.S.-proposed hostage-prisoner exchange and a summit aimed at advancing peace efforts.

The article by Martin Sherman critiques recent accusations that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza, calling them misleading and factually baseless. It highlights the disparity between such claims and Israel’s actions, including its efforts to minimize civilian harm and provide humanitarian aid. The piece references Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rebuttals to these allegations, emphasizing Israel’s delivery of over 2 million tons of food and supplies to Gaza since the conflict began.

Sherman argues that accusations of “genocide” ignore Israel’s historical commitment to protecting civilians and its global contributions to science and disaster relief. He also addresses the misuse of the term “genocide,” noting that international courts have only definitively labeled one case as such: the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. The article further criticizes the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, which it claims misrepresents the legacy of Raphael Lemkin, the term’s coiner, by accusing Israel of genocide despite his pro-Zionist views.

Netanyahu’s speech to the UN General Assembly is cited as a direct response to these allegations, with the prime minister questioning how a nation committing “genocide” would urge civilians to flee combat zones and provide aid. The piece concludes by underscoring what it describes as a distorted narrative against Israel, framed as an effort to obscure the actions of Hamas, which it labels a “genocidal terrorist organization.”