Palestinian Territory - Since the release of American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander on 12 May, Israeli forces have intensified their genocidal campaign in Gaza, killing an average of 81 Palestinians per day through direct bombardment, and a further 17 per day due to starvation and the denial of access to medical care and essential means of survival.
This surge in lethal attacks is part of a broader escalation by the Israeli military, marked by a scorched-earth policy and the systematic destruction of Gaza's remaining residential areas and infrastructure. The ongoing campaign—now in its 19th month—has been characterised by mass killings, enforced starvation, and the deliberate dismantling of life-sustaining systems, with the explicit aim of eradicating the Palestinian population in Gaza and eliminating any possibility of return or reconstruction.
Field documentation reveals that between 12 and 18 May, 564 Palestinians were killed by direct strikes, while 122 others died from deliberate starvation and lack of medical treatment. Additionally, 1,386 civilians were injured during this period, averaging approximately 233 injuries per day.
Despite the hopes raised by the release of American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, which was expected to pave the way for a ceasefire and facilitate the effective entry of humanitarian aid, the reality has been quite the opposite
During the same period, the Israeli military issued at least ten new evacuation orders, primarily targeting northern Gaza, western Gaza City, and the eastern areas of Deir al-Balah and Al-Qarara. These orders resulted in the forced displacement of approximately 300,000 people, most of whom were families that had already been displaced multiple times since the beginning of the assault.
These orders were issued without providing safe corridors or alternative destinations, amid the collapse of shelter capacity, depletion of relief supplies, and destruction of essential facilities. The continued bombardment of both new and previously established displacement areas has transformed displacement into a mechanism of slow death rather than survival—a strategy aimed at emptying entire regions and dismantling the Palestinian civilian presence in preparation for full-scale removal.
The humanitarian conditions for the forcibly displaced have become catastrophic and degrading. Tens of thousands of civilians, including children, women, the elderly, and the sick, are now forced to sleep rough on the ground, exposed to the scorching sun or amidst rubble, without access to clean water, sufficient food, or healthcare. This dire situation leaves them at risk of death from starvation, illness, or further airstrikes.
Despite the hopes raised by the release of American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, which was expected to pave the way for a ceasefire and facilitate the effective entry of humanitarian aid, the reality has been quite the opposite. The pace of killings has intensified, no aid has been allowed in, and the international community remains silent, while U.S. statements have yet to translate into meaningful action. Meanwhile, elderly individuals and patients continue to die daily from starvation following 78 consecutive days of complete closure of all crossings.
The total blockade, imposed since 2 March, has had devastating and long-lasting effects, particularly on the most vulnerable groups in the Gaza Strip. This measure is part of a systematic Israeli policy aimed at dismantling the foundations of life and eliminating all means of survival. No longer can this siege be perceived as merely exacerbating a humanitarian catastrophe—as it might have been considered before October 2023—but rather, it has evolved into an active strategic tool employed in the execution of genocide.
The Israeli military's announcement of hundreds of airstrikes in recent days, combined with its ground incursions into northern and southern Gaza under Operation Gideon's Chariots, clearly indicates the initiation of a large-scale assault that endangers the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, either through direct killing or enforced starvation.
In Gaza today, civilians are succumbing to hunger, with most families now surviving on a single meagre meal every one or two days—a situation that exemplifies the systematic use of starvation as a weapon of genocide.
Statements made by U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, asserting that the United States seeks to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and is working to facilitate the delivery of aid, are both condemnable and profoundly misleading. Such statements obscure an undeniable reality; the situation in Gaza has transcended a conventional humanitarian crisis, becoming a compound catastrophe and an organised genocide, executed with Israeli weapons and fully supported, both politically and militarily, by the United States. This moment constitutes a profound stain on the record of modern history.
The international community must recognise that ending all acts of genocide, including halting starvation, ensuring the entry of aid, and stopping grave violations against Palestinian civilians, is not a matter of negotiation or political convenience. These are absolute legal obligations under international law.
The fundamental rights of civilians in Gaza, particularly the rights to life, food, and dignity, are non-negotiable and must not be compromised through political arrangements or negotiation tracks. These rights must be upheld immediately and unconditionally, in full accordance with international law, international humanitarian law, and the core principles of global justice.
All states, both individually and collectively, must fulfil their legal responsibilities by taking urgent action to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip, through implementing effective measures to protect Palestinian civilians; ensuring Israel's compliance with international law and the decisions of the International Court of Justice; and holding Israel accountable for its crimes against the Palestinians. The International Criminal Court must execute the arrest warrants issued against the Israeli Prime Minister and Minister of Defence at the earliest opportunity, in accordance with the principle that there is no immunity for international crimes.
The international community must also impose economic, diplomatic, and military sanctions on Israel for its systematic and grave violations of international law. These sanctions should include an arms embargo; an end to all political, financial, and military support; freezing the assets of officials involved in crimes against Palestinians; imposing travel bans; and suspending trade privileges and bilateral agreements that provide Israel with economic benefits that enable its continued crimes.
Countries with universal jurisdiction courts must issue arrest warrants for Israeli political and military leaders involved in genocide and initiate legal proceedings, even in absentia, to fulfil their international legal obligation to prosecute serious crimes and combat impunity.
