By The South Asia Times

Barcelona — The International People’s Tribunal for Palestine (IPT) on Saturday opened its first day of proceedings at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) on Saturday, bringing forward witness and expert testimonies alleging genocide, ecocide, and forced starvation committed against Palestinians by Israel, with support from other states.

Hosted by the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), the International People’s Front, and the Peoples’ Coalition for Food Sovereignty, the Tribunal drew nearly 150 participants and secured endorsements from over 240 organizations worldwide.

Organizers emphasized that the IPT serves as a people-driven justice mechanism—one they argue is urgently needed due to failures of formal international courts to hold Israel accountable, according to a statement, issued by the PCFS.

“The right to resist”

In their opening remarks, representatives of convening organizations—including ILPS Vice-Chair Victor Garces and APN’s Razan Zuayter—underscored the Palestinian right to self-determination and resistance. Saif Abukashek of the Global Movement to Gaza urged supporters worldwide to transform the tribunal’s findings into collective action, stating:
“The voice of those oppressed has to be taken into action for liberation.”

An international panel of jurors, composed of human rights advocates and legal experts, assumed their role to evaluate the evidence and issue a verdict reflecting what organizers called “the will of the people” rather than the political influence shaping global institutions.

Testimonies of loss and destruction

Witness accounts exposed the scale of human suffering in Gaza after two years of continuous bombardment. One survivor reported losing more than 280 family members, describing how entire generations had been erased. Others detailed the complete blockade on Gaza, asserting that starvation is being used as a deliberate tactic of war.

Testimony from the Global Sumud Flotilla recounted Israeli interception of vessels attempting to deliver humanitarian aid.
“The problem is not the lack of aid, but the blockade,” one witness said.

A Gazan fisherperson’s representative testified that approximately 700 boats had been destroyed, cutting off a vital source of food and income:

“This is a deliberate strategy to create famine…preventing fishermen from feeding our people.”

Lead prosecutor Jan Fermon emphasized that genocide is not limited to killings alone, but includes policies of forced starvation and environmental destruction.

Gaza’s environment “no longer suitable for human life”

Expert witness Dr. Omar Nashabe presented evidence of what he described as ecocide—systematic environmental devastation targeting survival in Gaza. His testimony included estimates that over 100,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on the enclave since 2023, equivalent to multiple nuclear-sized payloads.

According to Nashabe, 80% of water infrastructure has been destroyed, 70% of agricultural land wiped out, and toxic landfills created beside densely populated camps.

“Gaza has been transformed into an environment that is no longer suitable for human life,” he warned.

Another expert sharply criticized the failure of international courts to intervene:
“We are here because The Hague has failed to stop genocide and ecocide. It is the people who must defend humanity and law.”

Defense absent

The IPT noted that no defense representatives appeared or submitted documentation. When asked about the absence, one juror stated:
“I think an empty table speaks a lot.”

Verdict expected after Day 2

The Tribunal will reconvene on November 23 to hear further evidence before issuing its findings. Organizers say the process aims to build a historical record and mobilize greater global solidarity for Palestine.