On October 18, 2023, the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P) issued an urgent appeal for an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s ongoing conflict with Gaza, warning that the region stands on the precipice of a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe. The plea, resonating with a growing global sentiment, has garnered immense support, with over 460 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from around the world rallying behind this vital call for peace within a mere week of its publication.
The GCR2P, established in 2008 to champion the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), has consistently raised alarms regarding atrocities committed by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories. In a stark revelation, their August 31 report shed light on the systematic nature of Israel’s human rights violations and inhumane acts in these regions, classifying them as potential crimes against humanity or war crimes. This includes acts such as collective punishment and the imposition of an “apartheid” system.
Report noting Israel’s war crime
The Outcome Document, under Article 139, explicitly states, “We are prepared to take collective action, in a timely and decisive manner, through the Security Council … should peaceful means be inadequate and national authorities are manifestly failing to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.” The case of Palestine unquestionably falls within this definition, given the enduring and repeated failure of “national authorities” – in this case, Israel – to safeguard their population against the aforementioned atrocities. The dire situation in Gaza emphatically demands the application of the R2P doctrine.
The mounting evidence of Israel’s war crimes in Gaza is deeply concerning, with reports of systematic attacks on civilian residences, the tragic loss of entire families, the forced displacement of over a million people, the deliberate targeting of hospitals and schools, and the intentional deprivation of essential resources such as water, food, medicines, and fuel from the civilian population.
Alarming reports of genocide unfolding in Gaza as the world watches
It has become increasingly evident that Israel is currently engaged in a campaign that some experts are describing as a genocide against the Palestinian people. According to reports, the Israeli state has reportedly relaxed its military rules of engagement, effectively granting its soldiers the authority to target and eliminate anyone they encounter within the Gaza Strip during their ground operations. Shockingly, Israeli politicians and military personnel have openly expressed their intentions to reduce Gaza to rubble, eradicate the Palestinian population, and envision Israeli settlers residing on land once known as Gaza.
The Palestinian people find themselves in a dire predicament as they are deliberately stripped of life’s most fundamental necessities, including food, water, shelter, and access to medical care. Indiscriminate aerial bombings are causing widespread death and injuries among the Palestinian population. Moreover, Palestinians are being urged to abandon their homes in northern Gaza and relocate to the south. This signals Israel’s apparent desire to colonize the northern region and transform it into a permanent security or military zone, thereby forcibly displacing the current Palestinian residents.
Schools, ambulances, shelters and bakeries face unrelenting attacks
In a series of devastating attacks, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has confirmed the targeting of multiple school-turned-shelters in Gaza. The strikes have led to a tragic loss of life, including:
- At Jabalia refugee camp, at least 20 people have been reported killed and five injured.
- At Beach refugee camp in the north of Gaza, one child is reported to have lost their life.
- In Al Bureij refugee camp, two individuals have reportedly been killed, with 31 more sustaining injuries.
These schools, now serving as shelters, were housing nearly 20,000 people. Lazzarini further disclosed that since the outset of the conflict on October 7th, nearly 50 UNRWA buildings and assets have been affected, with some directly hit. Shockingly, this includes UNRWA structures utilized as shelters, where approximately 700,000 people are currently seeking refuge. Of these, 25 are situated in northern Gaza, providing sanctuary for 112,000 individuals.
Regrettably, the toll on UNRWA personnel has been severe, with a total of 72 staff members losing their lives in the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, amidst this international discourse, shocking images emerge from the streets of Gaza, depicting a bakery now damaged by the horrors of conflict. The very streets tell the tragic tale of lives forever altered by an Israeli air raid targeting the area. The attack on Nasr Street in Gaza City has resulted in a devastating toll, with scores wounded and lives lost, as per Palestinian sources.
Hospitals are not safe either!
In recent days, al-Quds and al-Shifa hospitals in Gaza City, along with the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, have faced attacks in their immediate vicinity. These facilities are just three out of thirteen hospitals across the strip that have been repeatedly instructed to evacuate, despite their crucial role in treating thousands of patients.
Nebal Farsakh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “Evacuating them means killing them.” The World Health Organization has unequivocally asserted that targeting hospitals, such as al-Quds, treating hundreds of patients and sheltering 14,000 displaced Palestinians, would constitute a blatant violation of international law.
Al-Shifa, meaning “house of healing” in Arabic, stands as the largest hospital in the strip, currently attending to thousands of patients. The Israeli military contends that Hamas has established multiple military complexes beneath it, an assertion strongly refuted by Hamas.
Amidst the turmoil, tragedy struck at Jabalia, where six Israeli air raids struck a residential area, resulting in a reported 50 casualties. A Hamas statement has claimed a staggering 400 dead and injured in the attack, with precise figures for Wednesday’s assaults still pending.
The Israeli military reported at least 11 of their soldiers losing their lives during an incursion in northern Gaza on Tuesday, October 31. Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, lamented the loss of seven civilian hostages in the Jabalia attack, including three individuals holding foreign passports. Israel has not yet issued a comment on this claim.
The Jabalia refugee camp, situated in the north of the Gaza Strip, has borne the brunt of one of the deadliest bombings carried out by the Israeli army.
Attacks are horrific and appalling!
After the incident of bombing in refugee camp, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has raised the alarm, suggesting that due to the high number of civilian casualties and the extensive destruction caused by the Israeli air strikes, there are worries that these attacks could potentially qualify as war crimes.
UNICEF, the UN’s children’s agency, has condemned the attacks as “horrific and appalling.” While it is currently too early to ascertain the exact number of children among the casualties in Jabalia, it is worth noting that over 3,500 children have lost their lives since October 7, when Hamas initiated an attack on Israel, resulting in 1,400 casualties and 200 captives.
Gaza, under Hamas control since 2006, is home to approximately 2.3 million people who have endured a blockade for 17 years. The situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating, with dire humanitarian consequences. Martin Griffiths, the UN humanitarian chief, emphasized the urgency for action, stating that the world cannot allow this situation to persist.
