Editorial

Gaza genocide

UN report: 70% of Gaza victims are women and children; Israel's actions violate humanitarian law.

Editorial November 12, 2024

The United Nations Human Rights Office, in its report on the war in Gaza, has stated that 70 per cent of those killed in the besieged Palestinian enclave were women and children. The report indicates "a systematic violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including distinction and proportionality". This is worse than a genocide.

This is a targeted campaign by the Zionist state of Israel to erase the Palestinians from the land. Israel, as expected, categorically rejected the report. The images and reports that emerge daily from Gaza tell a story of suffering and horror. Entire families have been wiped out, neighbourhoods have been flattened by indiscriminate Israeli bombing and patients have been burned alive by the settler-colonial state.

Yet the world watches in silence, barely uttering a word as Israel is given a free hand by the United States and its allies. Now imagine, if Gaza was replaced by Ukraine and Israel by Russia. How different the situation would have been!

The fact that nearly seven out of ten victims are women and children reflects a grim reality: the basic principles of international humanitarian law, which protect non-combatants in times of war, are being flagrantly ignored by Israel.

These principles, designed to minimise civilian suffering, seem to have little effect in a campaign that disregards the very notion of proportionality. The people of Gaza are the victims, yet they are paying the highest price. It is essential for international leaders to not only condemn the violence but also take concrete steps to end the conflict and protect those caught in the crossfire.

Humanitarian aid must reach Gaza without obstruction, and meaningful diplomatic efforts must be made to achieve a lasting peace that ensures the safety and dignity of Palestinian civilians. The world at large needs to rein in Israel and hold it accountable for its countless war crimes.