Secret US report finds hundreds of potential Israeli human rights violations in Gaza

According to a report by The Washington Post citing two US officials, a classified report from the US State Department’s Office of the Inspector General has determined that the Israeli military committed “hundreds of potential human rights violations” in the Gaza Strip.

The report noted that investigating these cases would take the department “years” to complete.

This document marks the first time a US government report has acknowledged that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute a wide range of violations that could fall under the Leahy Law.

The Leahy Law prohibits the US from providing security assistance to foreign military units accused of committing gross human rights violations.

A privileged process is in place for Israel

US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that the report raises serious doubts about accountability for Israel’s actions.

The officials reported that due to special procedures granted to the Israeli military, investigations proceed more slowly and are more complex compared to those for other countries.

According to the report, investigations into the Israeli military are conducted through a separate bureaucratic mechanism called the “Israel Leahy Vetting Forum.”

This process includes institutions that tend to take a pro-Israel stance, such as the US Embassy in Israel and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

Even if an investigation identifies a violation, the Secretary of State’s approval is required to suspend aid to the unit involved.

Former State Department official Josh Paul commented on the matter, stating, “To date, the US has never cut off aid to any Israeli unit, despite clear evidence.”

The news report mentioned that the report was completed just days before the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was reached.

Even after the ceasefire, the Israeli military reportedly continued its airstrikes on Gaza, with bombardments last week resulting in the deaths of at least 104 Palestinians.

The killing of aid workers is also under investigation

While it was emphasized that Israel holds a special status among countries where the Leahy Law is applied, it was stated that some incidents in Gaza are still under investigation.

These incidents include the killing of seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen in 2024 and the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians around humanitarian aid trucks in the same year.

The US administration had informed Congress that “no definitive conclusion has been reached” on whether American weapons were used in these cases.

The US provides at least $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel annually. In recent years, this amount has reached tens of billions of dollars, making Israel the largest recipient of US aid in the world.

White House and Israeli military remain silent

Charles Blaha, a former head of the unit that implements the Leahy Laws and who is familiar with the report, said, “I fear that when the noise of the conflict dies down, accountability will be forgotten.”

The Office of the Inspector General did not comment on the news but confirmed the report’s existence on its website, stating, “This report contains classified information and is not available to the public.”

The White House and the Israeli military have not yet commented on the report.