The situation in Gaza is dire, with Israel's actions being described as a "final, blood-soaked push" to exterminate and expel Palestinians from their land.
In a threat evoking the hideousness of World War II, the Israeli Minister of Defense Israel, Katz, issued Gaza residents with a “final warning “to effect its settler colonial project and apartheid state policies with the seizure and annexation of all Palestinian land and displacement of all Palestinians, which has been the abiding Zionist goal.
The humanitarian crisis is severe, with no food, medicine, shelter, clean water, or electricity available. The fragile ceasefire deal, which came into effect on January 19, 2025, between Israel and Hamas is shattered with Israel blocking humanitarian aid.
Israeli officials claimed to have struck 80 "terrorist" targets, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. The indiscriminate deadly strikes, which came in a brief 10-minute period just after 2am, slaughtered families in their homes with some in their sleep and others while they prepared for the early morning Ramadaan meals. This was followed by Israeli warplanes, tanks, artillery, drones, and ships, which launched a deadly wave of strikes.
The consequences are devastating, with over 700 Palestinians killed, including 200 children, with many more feared trapped under the rubble, since the ceasefire broke down. The situation is expected to worsen as the chaos and carnage carries on, with the UN warning of mass starvation and disease. Hospitals are overwhelmed, repeatedly bombed, and medical supplies are running low.
The ceasefire in January, which had brought a semblance of hope to the battered territory, was short-lived as Israel backed by the USA reneged on the ceasefire agreement. The Trump White House is cheerleading the slaughter, punish critics of the Israeli genocide as “antisemites”, uses draconian measures to silence them, criminalises their actions of peaceful protesters, threatens them with deportation while funnelling billions of dollars in weapons to Israel, in addition to providing diplomatic cover to the rogue Israeli state .
Forced evacuations and ground operations
In the southern Gaza city of Rafah, Israeli forces have ordered the forced evacuation of residents. The United Nations and Amnesty International have condemned these orders as violations of international law. Israeli forces have intensified ground operations in northern and southern Gaza at the same time.
Humanitarian situation
The entry of large and sufficient quantities of humanitarian aid and relief materials have been blocked by Israel in breach of the provisional measures issued by the ICJ. This has led to a severe shortage of basic necessities, including food, fuel, water, and medicine.
Hospitals have been bombed in breach of the Geneva convention. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), is marginalised and has been unable to rotate international staff in and out of Gaza or have any contact with Israeli officials to coordinate its activities.
Israel has also enacted legislation to limit the activities of humanitarian organisations, requiring new registration criteria that will prevent the operations of organisations whose staff have supported or endorsed operations considered hostile to Israel. This includes supporting boycotts or questioning Israel's definition as a Jewish democratic state.
Casualties and destruction
The indiscriminate and disproportional bombing have taken a staggering toll on Palestinian civilians. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, a staggering 50 000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed, with 111 955 wounded since October 2023.
The destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals and residential buildings, has left many without shelter or access to essential services.
The Southern Gaza Desalination Plant, is now no longer functional after Israel cut its electrical feed, limiting access to clean water for 600 000 people. The temporary solid waste dump sites are reaching full capacity, while the landfill sites remain inaccessible. With the closure of crossings for incoming cargo for almost three consecutive weeks, UN agencies warn that life-saving health equipment, including 20 ventilators for neonatal intensive care units and nine portable newborn incubators, alongside other aid supplies, are stalled at the border.
International response
The international community has condemned the USA backed Israeli strikes, but their words have had little impact on the ground. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the wave of strikes as "just a beginning," a chilling warning of what is to come. Netanyahu is considered a war criminal by the world’s top criminal court and fugitive from justice as he is already wanted for the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare and of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population.
UN experts have accused Israeli forces of committing "genocidal acts" by systematically destroying women's healthcare facilities and employing sexual violence as a war strategy. The Israeli government's actions are emboldened by the support of US President Trump, who has proposed displacing the entire population of Gaza to turn it into the "Riviera of the Middle East."
Trump's rhetoric has been echoed by Israeli officials, who speak of "reordering" Gaza's space and making it unliveable for its inhabitants.
The international community has condemned Israel's actions, but their words have had little impact on the ground. The UN General Assembly has passed resolutions demanding an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and that Israel allow UNRWA to proceed with its aid operations without restriction.
However, Israel has continued to ignore these calls, and the situation continues to deteriorate.The genocide, apartheid and holocaust of the Palestinians by Israel rivals the most atrocious war crimes, mass starvation, wholesale slaughter and levelling of the Warsaw Ghetto in 1943 by the Nazis. The international community must take action to hold Israel accountable for its actions. The people of Gaza deserve more than just words of condemnation; they deserve protection, justice, and a chance to rebuild their shattered lives.
ICJ and additional provisional measures
South Africa has taken a strong stance in support of the Palestinian people, and its application before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to hold Israel accountable for its genocidal conduct against the Palestinians is a crucial step towards justice.
However, the situation on the ground requires immediate attention, and the ICJ must take swift action to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
It is imperative that the ICJ takes new measures to ensure Israel's compliance and to protect the rights of the Palestinian people. This includes requiring Israel to immediately cease its military operations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, withdraw its forces, and take all necessary and effective steps to implement a lasting and sustainable ceasefire.
Furthermore, the ICJ must ensure that Israel allows unimpeded access to Gaza for UN and other officials engaged in the provision of humanitarian aid and assistance to the population of Gaza. This includes the unimpeded entry of all reconstruction materials and equipment, as well as the unimpeded entry of fact-finding missions, internationally mandated bodies, and/or officials’ investigators, and journalists.
The international community must also take action to hold Israel accountable for its actions. This includes imposing sanctions and arms embargoes on Israel, as well as supporting the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and statehood.
Conclusion
The situation in Gaza is a stain on humanity's conscience, and it requires immediate attention and action. The ICJ, the international community, corporations, institutions and governments around the world must take swift and decisive action to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and to hold Israel accountable for its genocidal conduct against the Palestinian people.
Usuf Chikte is a Palestine Solidarity Campaign coordinator.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.