Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently and resolutely dismissed any international pleas for a Palestinian state. All the while, Israel forges ahead with its assault on Gaza. This move comes in the wake of a surprise, coordinated attack by Hamas militants that killed approximately 1,139 people in Israel on October 7, 2023. In return, Israel has hardened and intensified its attack on Gaza. This has resulted in no less than 85 Palestinian deaths just over the past few days. The escalating war has wreaked havoc on the entire area. According to reports, at least 65,419 Palestinians have been killed and 167,160 injured since the war started.
An issue at the core of many critics’ condemnation of Israeli government’s actions as a war of vengeance. Following the horrific attack in October, Netanyahu immediately greenlit a wave of airstrikes. Secondly, he imposed a complete blockade on all aid to Gaza. Significantly, he was the architect of eliminating Hamas leaders who were negotiating a peace deal in Doha. The rejection of the most recent ceasefire pact on March 18 was a unilateral decision. In turn, violence in the region has skyrocketed.
Ongoing Assault on Gaza
Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir recently declared some very good news. Now, the Israeli army is about to accelerate a methodical move into Gaza’s largest metropolitan area. Humanitarian reports now show the majority of Gaza’s population have already evacuated Gaza City, traveling south to escape the continuous bombings. The ongoing retaliation—the violence against civilians—remains unconscionably unacceptable. In a horrific double standard, Israeli airstrikes recently targeted a stadium sheltering displaced families in the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 12 Palestinians—including seven women and two children.
Zamir insisted that these operations are critical to Israel’s national security, asserting that they are done “for their protection.” Yet, curbing sexual violence has increasingly been used as a justification for military action. As many international law experts have pointed out, nothing short of an immediate ceasefire will stop the humanitarian crisis now playing out in Gaza.
“If you have no sympathy for human pain, the name of human you cannot pertain. Those criminals who bully by murdering children are not worthy of the name ‘human being’” – Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The international community has rightly grown alarmed at the civilian toll of Israel’s military campaign. As world leaders continue to meet at important summits, including today’s United Nations General Assembly, they are calling on Netanyahu’s government to end all hostilities and engage in substantial dialogue.
Domestic and International Backlash
As Netanyahu departed for a United Nations meeting amid protests in Tel Aviv, hundreds gathered at Ben Gurion airport to voice their discontent. Protesters condemned his misplaced priorities during the disaster, which marks only one instance of rising resentment towards his failed leadership amid this ongoing crisis. As a result, international leaders have decried the Israeli leadership’s position. They may come from different backgrounds, but they are all united in calling for an end to the violence.
In response to international pressure, an official statement from Netanyahu’s office asserted that “the shameful surrender of some leaders to Palestinian terrorism will not bind Israel in any way.” This bold statement marks the government’s flagrant determination to pursue its military goals in the face of increasing international backlash.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide noted that even nations closest to Israel’s position recognize the need for a change in strategy. He remarked, “Those of us who are closest to the Israeli position are beginning to understand that we cannot just continue with this endless, senseless war.”
Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic proportions as thousands of civilians have perished, and key shelters, hospitals, and infrastructure have collapsed under constant aerial attacks. Displaced people such as Najwa, who has been uprooted from her neighborhood in Gaza City, recount chilling stories as they flee the destruction.
“I only had what I had in my hand. I left with nothing,” – Najwa, a displaced woman from Gaza City.
Too many families find themselves unable to even afford immediate basic needs, including sky-high transportation fares to escape impending peril. Najwa expressed her fears, stating, “We are frightened. Transportation is expensive. We can’t pay to bring our things.”
As international calls for a ceasefire grow louder, many hope for a resolution that addresses both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term political solutions. The recent escalation in violence raises the pressing question of whether the region’s current period of relative calm can last. It is severely damaging the wellbeing of its civilians.
