ISRAEL has given no indication that it is to halt its attacks on populated areas in Gaza despite the fact that it has been wreaking destruction on the Palestinian territory for a month. Israel has ignored international calls to end the action that has killed thousands of people, most of them civilians.

Using the excuse of hunting fighters belonging to Hamas, the Palestinian armed group, Israel has bombarded homes, houses of worship and hospitals in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is seeking vengeance for the deaths of 1,253 of his citizens from the Hamas attacks on October 7. The sudden rocket attack by Hamas at a time when Israel continues to annex Palestinian land was used as a justification for launching the largest attack in the last 50 years.

As a result of the savage attack by the Israeli army, at least a third of the buildings in Gaza have been destroyed. As of Friday, November 17, Israel’s attack had killed 11,470 Palestinians. Two thirds of the dead are women and children. A total of 2,700 people have been reported missing because they are buried under the ruins. Now, half of the 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza have been forced to leave their homes.

Hamas continues to fight back, giving Israel a reason to continue its massive attacks. Assaults on civilian targets are proof that the government of that nation has committed war crimes. The international community has asked it to stop its attacks. The United Nations Security Council has demanded a ceasefire because there have been too many civilian deaths. Israel has ignored this call.

This is not the first time Israel has ignored the United Nations. For decades, Israel has blocked Gaza. It continues to expand the area under its control despite the Security Council asking for Israel to withdraw from Gaza. The Council has passed 239 resolutions to resolve the disputes over the control of the Palestinian territory. Israel has never done anything in response. And almost all of these resolutions have been vetoed by the United States, Israel’s main supporter.

The international community always comes up against a brick wall when it invites Israel to the negotiating table. It is not easy to bring Israel before an international court. Although it has been accused of gross human rights violations and war crimes, Israel cannot immediately be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Israel did not join 124 other countries to sign the Statute of Rome in 1998, which led to the establishment of the ICC.

There are no victors in war. Civilians always become the victims. History tells us that the Jews became the victims of barbarous acts by Adolf Hitler of Germany in the Second World War. Israel needs to see civilians in Gaza as victims like their own ancestors.