World Bodies Fail Gaza

• CrossFireArabia
• November 4, 2024

The reluctance of the international system to implement decisive actions against Israel’s mass atrocities in the Gaza Strip, especially in the northern region, exposes a stark disregard for Palestinian lives and dignity, and fuels the continuation of its crime of genocide.

Stark disregard

Institutions like the European Union (EU), International Criminal Court (ICC), and International Court of Justice (ICJ), alongside various United Nations (UN) bodies, have deviated from their founding principles of protecting civilians and upholding justice. In over 13 months, these bodies have neglected their fundamental duty to safeguard civilian life and stop Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

This failure reveals a structural flaw in the global security framework meant to prevent atrocious crimes and uphold international law. As evidenced by the ongoing Israeli crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in Gaza, this system has faltered in the face of political calculations and the influence of powerful nations complicit in the genocide, fostering a culture of impunity. 

Turning a blind eye

Despite the gravity of the atrocities, the international community and justice mechanisms have largely turned a blind eye. At most, some entities have issued weak statements that fail to acknowledge the crimes accurately, emboldening Israel to escalate its offenses with U.S. and European support and armament.

For nearly a month, a full-scale invasion of northern Gaza has been unfolding openly, aiming to eradicate the Palestinian population and forcibly displace residents through terror. In addition to a crippling siege that blocks aid, prevents ambulance services, and shuts down hospitals, the Israeli army has conducted numerous massacres, killing over 1,300 people and injuring around 2,000 more.

On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes killed 117 Palestinians in the Abu Nasr family home in Beit Lahia, leaving approximately 100 more trapped under the rubble. On Thursday, the Al-Ghandour family home in Jabalia was bombed, entombing about 120 residents with no rescue crews allowed to reach them. On Friday, the Shalayel family’s home was struck, killing around 50, with many others still buried under other homes.

Israeli murders

In blatant defiance of the Geneva Conventions, which mandate the protection of medical personnel and emergency response, Israeli forces have blocked ambulance and rescue crews in northern Gaza for ten consecutive days, denying critical services to tens of thousands. Hospitals, including Kamal Adwan in Beit Lahia, have been targeted, with patients and wounded people killed, all without intervention from entities like the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has abdicated its role in this attack.

Despite official denials, Israel is executing the “Generals’ Plan” to empty northern Gaza, dropping leaflets demanding evacuations of residents in Jabalia and Beit Hanoun. Israel has continued its siege, blocking food and aid, forcing Palestinians into confined areas through terror, starvation, and massacres.

This helplessness persists despite urgent warnings that “the entire Palestinian population in northern Gaza is on the brink of death due to disease, hunger, and violence.” UN officials, including those from UNICEF and the World Food Programme, have described the situation as catastrophic, with conditions resembling apocalyptic horrors.

Genocide and complicity

Under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Israel has committed genocide in Gaza since 7 October 2023, with the U.S. and Europe complicit by supplying weapons used to massacre Palestinian civilians and demolish their homes.

Civilians, who do not pose any threat to occupying forces, are protected by international humanitarian law if they remain in their homes or neighbourhoods during conflict. Euro-Med Monitor investigations show that Israel’s actions aim to eradicate the Palestinian people through forced eviction and mass killing, not for military objectives.

The ICC must step in to issue arrest warrants, prosecute those responsible, and fulfill its mandate to protect Palestinian civilians from Israel’s extensive destruction.

Immediate action from the international community and the United Nations is essential to prevent further loss of life in northern Gaza, end Israel’s ongoing genocide across the Strip, impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel, hold it accountable for its crimes, and take all necessary measures to protect Palestinian civilians.

EuroMed Human Rights Monitor