Pickthall House firmly asserts that what is unfolding in Gaza amounts to genocide, a calculated, systematic effort to destroy the Palestinian population through relentless military violence, forced displacement, and the deliberate destruction of civilian life. Our recent white paper, Israel’s Military Priorities, Population Transfers, and the Hostage Crisis, analysed Israel’s actions and concluded that their conduct could only be explained by attempts at population transfer. Netanyahu’s recent statements have proven that genocide is not a by-product of war but an explicit policy aim. His public insistence that Gaza must be emptied and reclaimed confirms what the evidence has long suggested - that the campaign is designed to eliminate Palestinian life in Gaza.
For the 2.1 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza, the situation is nothing short of catastrophic. Months of sustained bombardment have reduced entire neighbourhoods to rubble, with hospitals, schools, and essential infrastructure targeted in a way that cannot be dismissed as collateral damage. The Israeli Defence Forces have blocked even the most basic necessities - like baby formula for severely malnourished babies - from entering Gaza. Forced displacement orders, coupled with the blockade that starves the population of humanitarian aid, leave vulnerable civilians with no means to survive. Human rights organisations (including those in Israel) argue that these tactics meet the internationally recognised definition of genocide, actions intended to destroy a people in whole or in part. Israeli scholars, including Omer Bartov and Raz Segal, have likewise warned that the assault on Gaza is of genocidal intent, from the systematic targeting of civilians to the dehumanising rhetoric used by political leaders.
For Israel, the strategy reflects a hardening of military priorities that goes beyond security concerns. As our white paper details, the ongoing military campaign is closely tied to demographic and territorial ambitions. The aim is clear: to forcibly remove the Palestinian presence from Gaza and reshape the region’s population balance. This approach risks deepening Israel’s international isolation but appears to be pursued with tacit political support from influential allies.
The United Kingdom cannot continue its current stance of ambiguous neutrality. Keir Starmer’s current foreign policy pays lip service to peace but enables Israel’s actions through arms sales and diplomatic shielding. Evidence from recent parliamentary reports exposes ongoing UK arms shipments to Israel, despite apparent restrictions. This duplicity reduces Britain’s credibility on human rights and implicates it in perpetuating one of the gravest humanitarian crises of the 21st century.
Pickthall House calls on the UK government to break from its ineffective ‘both sides’ rhetoric and take immediate, concrete steps. Recognising the State of Palestine without delay would send a powerful message that genocide and forced population transfer cannot proceed with impunity. Our neighbours, including France, Norway, Ireland, and Spain, have already provided this recognition to Palestine.Momentum is building within UK political circles, with senior MPs from multiple parties breaking ranks to push for Palestinian recognition. The moment to act is now; failure to do so would amount to complicity in a genocide that history will judge harshly.
