A quarter of staff at the UN’s top human rights office have issued an extraordinary internal rebuke of their own leadership, demanding the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) publicly declare that Israel’s war in Gaza meets the legal definition of genocide. In a 1,100-word letter, seen by The Guardian, the signatories urge OHCHR chief Volker Türk to move beyond cautious condemnations and call for an end to arms transfers to Israel, arguing that continued inaction undermines the UN’s credibility.

The letter reflects growing internal frustration that the agency, tasked with upholding global human rights, has failed to match words with the legal clarity its staff believe the situation warrants. The Israeli offensive, now nearing its second year, has left over 63,000 Palestinians dead and displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza, according to UN figures. Yet despite repeated warnings from Türk about “atrocity crimes,” he has stopped short of labeling the campaign a genocide—something staff allege is a political, not legal, decision.

UN officials counter that only an international court can determine genocide—a process the International Court of Justice is unlikely to conclude before 2027. But OHCHR employees argue that moral and legal responsibilities demand a firmer stance now, particularly as arms continue to flow to Israel from Western powers. Türk, in response, acknowledged the moral gravity of the situation but defended his approach amid fierce political headwinds.

The episode exposes a growing rift within the UN’s human rights machinery—between a leadership wary of politicizing legal terms and staff who believe neutrality in the face of mass suffering is complicity.