It is hard to describe in words the pain of witnessing your people being destroyed for more than 670 days. It is even more unfathomable to contemplate another Israeli escalation, after witnessing so much suffering and so many crimes committed against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. How can this be allowed in full view of the world for so long? Will the world stand by?

Israel’s security cabinet declared this escalation when it approved a plan to “fully occupy” the Gaza Strip and attack concentrations of population, starting with Gaza City itself. The consequences of this newest military onslaught are foreseeable and predictable. In May 2024, Israel attacked Rafah despite international warnings and in defiance of an international court of justice order – Rafah no longer exists. In November and December 2024, Israel attacked the northern towns of Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun and Jabaliya, and destroyed them in a campaign that former minister of defence Moshe Ya’alon described as “ethnic cleansing”. More recently, Israel unilaterally violated the ceasefire agreement, imposed starvation on the 2 million survivors and destroyed the southern city of Khan Younis.

All these actions are in violation of the three rulings on genocide by the international court of justice (ICJ) in January, March and May 2024. The ICJ identified a risk of genocide in January 2024 and stipulated measures that Israel needed to follow to prevent the committing of genocide, including the unlimited provision of humanitarian aid. By all accounts, Israel has been violating these measures. An attack on Gaza City will be the latest phase of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza.

Immediately after 7 October, Israeli leaders, politicians, commanders and soldiers........

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