UN expert asks states to cut trade ties with Israel over Gaza situation

The UN Special Rapporteur accuses Israel of being responsible for "one of the cruellest genocides in modern history"

A Palestinian boy stands near the damage at the site of an overnight Israeli air strike on a tent sheltering displaced people, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, July 2, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled

A UN expert on Thursday called on states to impose an arms embargo and cut off trade and financial ties with Israel, which she alleged is waging a "genocidal campaign" in Gaza.

In a speech to the UN Human Rights Council presenting her latest report, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese accused Israel of being responsible for "one of the cruellest genocides in modern history".

Israel has rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza, citing its right to self-defence following the deadly Oct 7, 2023, Hamas attack.