London Mayor Sadiq Khan Declares Gaza Situation a ‘Genocide’
London Mayor Sadiq Khan Declares Gaza Situation a ‘Genocide’
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has for the first time explicitly described the ongoing situation in Gaza as a “genocide” against the Palestinian population. Speaking at a People’s Question Time event in White City on Wednesday night, Khan’s powerful remarks come just days after a United Nations commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza.
The mayor cited harrowing images of starving children, the collapse of Gaza’s health system, severe lack of supplies, and a man-made famine as key reasons for his conclusion. He further referenced the International Court of Justice’s interim judgment and the recent UN commission report, stating it was “inescapable to draw the conclusion… we are seeing before our very eyes a genocide.”
Israel’s foreign ministry has vehemently rejected the UN report, labeling it “distorted and false” and accusing it of relying on “Hamas falsehoods.”
Khan’s comments add significant weight to the growing international scrutiny of the conflict, particularly as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump today, Thursday. The UN report, published on Tuesday, detailed “reasonable grounds to conclude” that four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law have been carried out since the conflict began in October 2023. These include killing group members, causing serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting destructive conditions, and preventing births.
The conflict escalated following an unprecedented Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. Since then, Israeli military operations in Gaza have reportedly killed at least 65,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, figures deemed reliable by the UN. The region faces widespread displacement, extensive damage to infrastructure, collapsed healthcare, and a declared famine in Gaza City.
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