بإمكانكم قراءة البيان باللغة العربية عبر الرابط
Israeli military actions in Gaza are widely seen as violations of international humanitarian law, international law for human rights, and established human rights norms. The most recent and glaring example of this condemnable behavior is the targeting of The Baptist Hospital without prior warning. Tragically, this attack resulted in the deaths of at least 500 civilians, including the sick, displaced individuals, women, and children who had sought refuge within the hospital.
As of the eleventh day of the escalation that began on October 7, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has led to the deaths of over 3,200 Palestinians, the majority of whom are children and women. This devastating outcome was a result of intense and indiscriminate bombardments, including the reported use of internationally banned white phosphorus bombs, a detail corroborated by Human Rights Watch.
Hundreds of thousands of people were forcibly displaced due to Israeli threats and military attacks. Citizens received leaflets instructing them to evacuate from northern Gaza to its southern areas, all within a confined region of only 365 square kilometers. This situation constitutes a clear case of forced displacement under international law, leading the United Nations to express its concerns over calls to displace 1.1 million Palestinians and emphasizing the importance of avoiding “catastrophic situations.”
Israeli leaders persist in justifying the extensive use of violence against civilians in the blockaded Gaza Strip. They also openly ordered and endorsed the ongoing disruption of essential resources, including water and medical supplies. What’s more, some Israeli officials view civilians in Gaza as hostile targets. For instance, Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s statements, which have drawn criticism from figures like Kenneth Roth, the former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, have been described as “an invitation to commit war crimes.”
Notably, remarks from government officials and Knesset members have included disturbing calls for actions that could be tantamount to “genocide” in Gaza. Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, for instance, controversially suggested that the only supplies allowed into Gaza until hostages are released should be hundreds of tons of explosives. Even the Israeli Defense Minister’s calls to tighten the blockade and disrupt water and supply access to Gaza were criticized by Human Rights Watch, characterizing it as “an incitement to commit war crimes.”
The persistent actions of harming civilians, dehumanizing them, and maintaining a strategy of heavy bombardment, which results in civilian casualties and resource deprivation, could potentially constitute war crimes and clear crimes against humanity under the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction. Former Prosecutor of the Court, Moreno-Ocampo, has even remarked that “the killing of civilians in Gaza may warrant investigation by the International Criminal Court as war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
For over 75 years, and up to this day, the Palestinian people have endured Israeli occupation policies characterized by violence, discrimination, forced displacement, apartheid, siege, land confiscation, and settlement expansion. These actions blatantly disregard international resolutions 242 and 338, while undermining every effort for peaceful solutions rooted in international legitimacy.
Human rights are universal and indivisible. Palestinians, like Syrians and all people worldwide, have an inherent right to have their rights honored, to live in safety and dignity, and to secure their well-being on their own land.
