The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has escalated into a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions. This summary aims to provide an overview of the situation, focusing on the impact on civilians, particularly the healthcare system, and the wider implications of the conflict.

The Conflict’s Origins and Escalation

• The current phase of the conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in approximately 1,500 Israeli casualties.
• Israel’s response has been a massive military campaign against Gaza, which has led to widespread destruction and loss of life.

The Human Cost

• Official figures from the Gaza Health Ministry report over 38,000 Palestinian deaths, with around half being women and children.
• However, a recent study published in The Lancet suggests the true death toll could be much higher, potentially reaching 186,000 when including indirect deaths.
• This estimate would represent about 7.9% of Gaza’s total population.
• Over 88,300 Palestinians have been reported injured, with more than 10,000 missing and presumed buried under rubble.

Healthcare System Collapse

• All 36 hospitals in Gaza have been either completely or partially destroyed, or are non-functional due to lack of supplies and damage.
• Not a single fully functional hospital remains in the entire Gaza Strip.
• Over 1,013 Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities have been recorded in the occupied Palestinian territories.
• More than 500 Palestinian healthcare workers have been killed, a rate about nine times higher than the yearly average during the Syrian war.

Targeting of Hospitals

• Major hospitals, including Al-Shifa and Nasser Hospital, have been repeatedly invaded by Israeli forces.
• Israel justified these actions by claiming the hospitals were being used as Hamas headquarters, though evidence for these claims has been disputed.
• Mass graves containing over 300 bodies were found at both Al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals after Israeli operations.

Humanitarian Crisis

• The UN has declared that famine has spread across the Gaza Strip.
• More than 1 million cases of infectious diseases have been reported, affecting about half of Gaza’s population.
• 1.1 million children are at risk of dying due to the spread of disease and lack of medical care.
• Basic illnesses have become potentially deadly due to the collapse of health and hygiene systems.

International Response and US Involvement

• The United States has provided significant military aid to Israel, totaling $12.5 billion since the war began, with an additional $17 billion approved recently.
• The US has faced criticism for providing diplomatic cover for Israel’s actions, despite the mounting humanitarian crisis.
• International organizations and medical professionals have called for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access.

Broader Implications

• The conflict has raised questions about the application of international law and the concept of proportionality in warfare.
• The targeting of healthcare facilities and workers has been particularly controversial, potentially constituting war crimes.
• The long-term impact on Gaza’s infrastructure, population, and future prospects for peace in the region remains uncertain.

This conflict represents one of the most severe humanitarian crises in recent history, with unprecedented attacks on civilian infrastructure, particularly the healthcare system. As the situation continues to evolve, the international community faces mounting pressure to intervene and facilitate a resolution to the conflict.

Analysis

The ongoing conflict in Gaza presents a profound challenge to the international community and the principles of international humanitarian law (IHL). As independent observers of global affairs, we are compelled to examine the events unfolding in Gaza through the lens of established legal frameworks and ethical considerations.

The Erosion of Civilian Protection

The scale of civilian casualties and the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza raise serious questions about the adherence to the principle of distinction, a cornerstone of IHL. The Geneva Conventions explicitly prohibit attacks on civilian populations and objects. Yet, the targeting of hospitals, which has left Gaza without a single fully functional medical facility, appears to be a direct contravention of these principles.

The justification provided for these attacks – that hospitals were being used as military headquarters – requires rigorous scrutiny. Even if such claims were substantiated, the principle of proportionality demands that any military action must not cause excessive harm to civilians relative to the anticipated military advantage. The complete collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system suggests a failure to meet this standard.

The Responsibility to Protect

The concept of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), adopted by all UN member states in 2005, asserts that the international community has a role in protecting populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. The situation in Gaza, with estimates of civilian deaths potentially reaching 7.9% of the population, demands a critical examination of how R2P is being applied – or failing to be applied – in this context.

The Role of External Powers

The United States’ continued military and diplomatic support for Israel, despite mounting evidence of IHL violations, raises complex questions about complicity and the obligations of third-party states. Article 1 common to the Geneva Conventions requires states to “respect and ensure respect” for the Conventions “in all circumstances.” This situation necessitates a reevaluation of how arms-supplying nations balance their strategic interests with their legal and moral obligations under international law.

Long-term Implications for International Order

The Gaza conflict has the potential to set dangerous precedents if left unchallenged. The systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure, particularly the healthcare system, could lower the bar for what is considered acceptable in modern warfare. This erosion of norms could have far-reaching consequences for future conflicts and the broader international order.

The Imperative for Action

The international community faces a critical juncture. Failure to act decisively in the face of such widespread suffering and potential violations of IHL risks undermining the very foundations of the post-World War II international legal order. Several imperatives emerge:

1. Immediate Ceasefire: An immediate and unconditional ceasefire is essential to prevent further loss of life and allow for humanitarian access.
2. Independent Investigation: A thorough, independent investigation into alleged violations of IHL by all parties is necessary to ensure accountability and prevent future transgressions.
3. Humanitarian Access: Unrestricted access for humanitarian aid and medical assistance must be guaranteed to address the unfolding health crisis.
4. Diplomatic Engagement: Renewed diplomatic efforts are crucial to address the root causes of the conflict and work towards a sustainable, just resolution.
5. Strengthening International Mechanisms: This crisis underscores the need to reinforce international mechanisms for enforcing IHL and holding violators accountable.

Conclusion

The Gaza conflict serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of international norms and the devastating human cost when these norms are breached.

Ironically, those who have once promoted these startards are now violating them, even fueling the fire to keep it burning.

We have a responsibility to critically examine these events, foster informed dialogue, and advocate for the upholding of international law and human rights by first pressing for the arrest of Bibi Netanyahu to attend trial, as soon as possible.

For as long as Netanyahu is in a position of power, Israel can never be tamed, and the bloodshed in Gaza will continue until all Palestinians are dead.

If the already established institutions of law and justice are incapable of enforcing such an arrest, a new, more responsive institution of justice must be established, even without the concurrence of those countries that previously vetoed all measures to alleviate the conditions of the Gazans.

The response to this crisis will likely shape the future of international humanitarian law and the broader rules-based international order for years to come.