The Israeli military’s relentless bombardment of Gaza and the West Bank has intensified, leaving behind a trail of destruction and an escalating toll of civilian casualties. Harrowing accounts from the besieged territories paint a bleak picture of a deepening humanitarian crisis, with homes, schools, and hospitals razed to the ground. In response, international bodies, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), have voiced grave concerns over the ongoing atrocities, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
The heightened conflict has provoked widespread condemnation from global organisations such as the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO), and various human rights groups. The WHO has denounced the assaults on healthcare facilities and personnel in Gaza and the West Bank, documenting numerous incidents where hospitals and clinics have been struck, and medical staff have been injured or killed. These actions have severely compromised the provision of critical health services, exacerbating the plight of an already beleaguered population.
Reports from UNRWA indicate that tens of thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee their homes amidst continuous air raids and ground offensives. Many have sought sanctuary in UNRWA-operated schools and shelters, which have not been spared from the violence. Several UN facilities have suffered extensive damage, and numerous aid workers have been injured or lost their lives while attempting to deliver vital humanitarian aid.
The UN has condemned these attacks as flagrant breaches of international law, specifically invoking the Fourth Geneva Convention, which mandates the protection of civilians during times of conflict. The UN Secretary-General has urgently called for a ceasefire and implored all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law, ensuring the safeguarding of civilians and relief workers.
Amidst this backdrop, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is advancing its investigation into potential war crimes committed by Israeli forces. The ICC’s inquiry into the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which covers actions dating back to June 2014, has gained renewed momentum, with fresh evidence being submitted by various human rights organisations, highlighting disproportionate force, collective punishment, and other breaches of international law against the Palestinian people. On 29th December 2023 file a case against Israel before the International Court of Justice regarding Israel’s conduct in the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas War that resulted a humanitarian crisis and mass killings.
The international community’s call for Israel to comply with numerous UN resolutions demanding an end to the occupation and a halt to military aggression has grown increasingly fervent. However, Israeli authorities continue to defy these resolutions, asserting their actions are in self-defence against Hamas and other militant factions in Gaza. Meanwhile, Palestinian representatives have urgently called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council, appealing for international intervention to stop what they describe as “ongoing war crimes” and “a calculated campaign of ethnic cleansing.”
As the conflict drags on, the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank becomes ever more dire. Hospitals are overwhelmed, infrastructure lies in ruins, and international aid agencies are struggling to operate under the constant threat of attack. The international community’s demands for accountability and justice are growing ever more insistent. The world watches with bated breath as the UN and the ICC confront the complex legal and political ramifications of this deepening conflict, while the people of Gaza and the West Bank endure yet another day of despair, loss, and uncertainty.
