The greatest way we can make progress is through each person reviewing and sharing both the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the Geneva Convention. Under these international laws, there are many of which that are being broken by the Israeli government so openly, and with major powers supporting these actions, they will not cease unless these war crimes are charged and a ceasefire called to administer humanitarian aid. This is does break articles under the Geneva Convention, that is just one of a list of many instances that the government of Israel has committed war crimes. There is also the matter of genocide that coexists in the oppressive, violent atmosphere that the Israeli army is decimating the Palestinians in Gaza.
The Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide:
Article II: Genocide is any acts against committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
a) killing members of a group
b) causing serious mental harm to a group
c) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or part
d) imposing measures intending to prevent birth
The actions Israel has broken under The Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide:
2 a)
Over 11,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed and over 27,490 injured in 38 days.
There is no end to the siege in sight despite efforts made in the UN Security Council and General Assembly, and from the urgent pleas from humanitarian organizations including the Secretary General of the UN calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Israel has destroyed water sources and does not allow aid trucks to enter Gaza causing starvation and dehydration among those trapped in Gaza.
Israel is purposely restricting who can exit Gaza, not allowing for all Palestinians to find safety in another country.
Killing Palestinians in settlements on the West Bank who are not militants and seizing the Palestinians property.
Killing Palestinians who are fleeing to the Rafah border.
Killing Palestinians seeking shelter in hospitals, mosques, churches, schools, and aid organizations.
Killing doctors and healthcare workers so that civilians have no access to care.
2 b)
White phosphorous missiles have been used on the Palestinians which inflict horrific wounds that last a lifetime.
The Israeli government has shut off water, electricity, and denied access to food
Bombing of bakeries
Bombing of schools
Bombing of hospitals (all of which fall under neutral zones or safe zones under the Geneva Convention)
Bombing Mosques and Churches
Bombing Humanitarian Organizations
Bombing water towers eliminating the little water Palestinians had.
Starving the Palestinians. There is not enough shipments of food being allowed into Gaza.
Destroying the hospitals and healthcare system across Gaza inflicting immense physical pain, death, and anguish.
Not respecting safe zones of either hospitals or already designated refugee camps and destroying them and killing innocent Palestinian civilians
Israel has repeatedly targeted several refugee camps.
Forcing the migration of Palestinians without offering a safe territory to enter to
Attacking the Palestinians forced to flee and killing them
Israel targets Palestinians using the “safe corridors”
2 c)
Israel has bombed Gaza to the equivalent of two nuclear bombs.
Israel has bombed half of Gaza’s homes
Israel has cut off water and electricity. There is little to no food or clean water. There is little to no medicine in Gaza.
Forcing the migration of Palestinians from their homes without offering a safe territory to enter to or safe passage.
Attacking the Palestinians forced to flee and killing them.
There are no safe and neutral zones for the Palestinians.
The Israeli government considers all Palestinians terrorists and enemies of their states despite the fact that these are actual civilians. These civilians have no military role and should be protected by the Geneva Convention but Israel is attempting to categorize the entirety of the Palestinian civilians as Hamas terrorists as a way to justify their genocide. These Palestinian civilians are unarmed and peaceful people attempting to flee the violence but are victims on an increasing number which is now genocide.
Israel claims that the doctors and staff at the hospitals in Gaza are Hamas agents and are attacking hospitals. Less than half of the hospitals are operable. They have no anesthesia and little medicine. Palestinians are shot at outside of the hospitals by the IDF. Doctors and patients are shot at within hospitals by IDF snipers. Palestinians cannot access any medical care at all.
2d)
Destroying the entire healthcare system in Gaza.
Evacuating other hospitals in Gaza despite the pleas from doctors, healthcare workers, and humanitarian organizations to remain open and accessible to the sick and injured civilians
Not allowing for medical shipments, there are no painkillers, no anesthesia, and little medicine available in Gaza .
Not allowing for safe and neutral zones where mothers/expectant mothers can seek refuge
There are no hospitals for women to give birth in.
Palestinian women are forced to have hysterectomies so that they do not die from stillbirth.
Cutting power has shut down incubators for the premature babies that are born, they are dying.
The Geneva Convention Articles broken by Israel (and the US):
Article 14 states that hospitals are safe zones and ensures protection.
Israel bombed the Al Ahli Hospital, the Indonesian hospital, and Al-Sweidi clinic.
Israel has damaged, destroyed, and shut down 23 hospitals since October 7.
WHO has recorded 137 attacks on health care facilities in Gaza.
Article 15 protects neutral zones for civilians, sick, and injured people.
Israel has bombed humanitarian groups evacuating to the Rafah border on a path the IDF said would be exempt from attack. Israel bombed the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza completely decimating it. Israel is not allowing for ANY safe zones for civilians (this also falls under the Convention of Genocide Prevention)
Israel repeatedly attacks refugee camps.
Israel has destroyed multiple humanitarian organization sites such as schools that were housing children, sick, and the injured.
Israel has evacuated hospitals, bombed hospitals, and shot at hospitals. Patients are dying from lack of healthcare or access.
The sick and injured Palestinians are forced to flee but cannot exit to Egypt unless they have dual citizenship.
Article 16 protects expectant mothers, sick and injured extra protection.
Israel has destroyed Al Ahli Hospital, the Indonesian hospital, and the Al-Sweidi clinic killing hundreds of sick, injured, and expectant mothers.
The forced evacuations of other hospitals in Gaza.
23 hospitals in Gaza are destroyed or not functioning.
The few remaining hospitals in Gaza have no anesthesia and little medicine for births or surgeries.
Incubators cannot run because there is no electricity or fuel in hospitals.
ICU patients and other patients are dying due to the lack of electricity and fuel that will not allow the necessary medical equipment to run.
Palestinians are shot at outside and inside of hospitals, cutting access off to those who need medical care and killing and trapping the patients inside.
Over 521 people have died from attacks on hospitals in Gaza and over 686 people have been hurt from these attacks.
Article 17 allowing time to retrieve injured, sick, and evacuate.
The Red Crescent and other health care workers have been fired on when retrieving wounded or the dead. The IDF gives windows of time and then attacks. This is the case of the humanitarian workers killed assisting in evacuation efforts along with those they tried to evacuate.
Multiple ambulances have been bombed and shot at. Israel claims that Hamas uses the ambulances for transportation despite aid organizations denying these claims.
Israel refuses to allow for a “humanitarian pause” which would allow for healthcare workers to retrieve the sick and wounded.
Palestinians patients are under fire outside of multiple hospitals. Hospital staff cannot reach those who have been shot outside of the hospitals.
Article 18 protects hospitals, a second layer of protection.
Israel bombed and destroyed Al Ahli Hospital killing 500 patients and healthcare workers. Israel is requiring hospitals to evacuate.
Israel has bombed multiple hospitals destroying the Indonesian and Al-Sweidi clinic as well as damaging 19 others.
Forced evacuation of hospitals in Gaza of patients that cannot leave or will die if without care, and Israel is
Hospitals are being shot at by the IDF, and patients are shot at outside. ICU patients have been shot.
Doctors and healthcare workers are dying in the hospitals that are bombed and are also being shot at inside hospitals.
WHO has recorded 137 attacks on health care facilities in Gaza.
WHO has reported that over 16 healthcare workers have been killed and 38 injured.
Article 20 protects hospital staff and workers.
Israel bombed and damaged Al-Ahli Hospital, bombed and damaged Al-Shiffa hospital, bombed and destroyed the Indonesian hospital, and bombed and destroyed Al-Sweidi clinic.
WHO has reported that over 16 healthcare workers have been killed and 38 injured.
Israel bombs and shoots at ambulance and healthcare workers.
Article 21 protection of medical/humanitarian convoys.
Israel blew up the humanitarian convoy killing the humanitarian workers and injured they were transporting.
Israel has blown up medical convoys from hospitals.
Israel targets ambulances and healthcare workers.
Over 100 UN aid workers have died in Gaza.
Article 23 safe passage for food and necessities.
No humanitarian group has been allowed into Gaza on Israel’s orders.
There is no water, food, or medicine. The UN has urgently asked for immediate safe access but are denied by the Israeli government.
Israel allows a small amount of aid to enter the border but it is not enough to provide any assistance to the great needs of Palestinians under these conditions.
Israel has targeted water towers in Gaza destroying the little water the Palestinians had.
Israel targets bakeries (only a handful are operating) ensuring that Palestinians have less food and suffer from starvation.
A “humanitarian pause” was ensured to allow for access to food, but Israel refuses to adhere to the “humanitarian pause.”
Article 24 children will not be orphaned and then abandoned.
Humanitarian groups who would facilitate these orphans protections are not allowed in Gaza.
Humanitarian groups are being killed and there is not much aid or support to offer Palestinians without access to the outside world. Over 100 UN aid workers have died.
The hospitals, schools, mosques, churches, and aid organizations these orphaned children seek are bombed.
There have been multiple instances in news from Gaza about orphaned babies and children found on the road or in the rubble of buildings.
There is no group to care for these children and offer them safety.
Article 25 families are allowed to share personal news between each other without impediment.
Israel is arresting citizens and Palestinians if the comment is considered negative but if the comment is in direct relation to their family, this is unlawful.
Israel has shut off power to Gaza so Palestinians cannot send texts or use phones due to lack of power.
Article 26 allows family members to search for each other.
Entire family bloodlines have been destroyed in the Israeli siege.
The Israeli government has control of the access to electricity and many Palestinians cannot use their phones to search for family without electricity.
The bombardment is unceasing and does not allow searches for victims.
Two brothers died looking for their family after waiting multiple days.
Article 27 general respect for humanity but especially women and protecting women from sexual assault.
The Israeli government has not shown any respect toward women during this siege or prior to the siege.
Palestinian women are subjected to degrading and invasive searches by the IDF that are unwarranted and unlawful. They are subjected to constant harassment from the IDF.
Palestinian women face imprisonment over trumped up charges.
Injured and disabled women are forced to flee in harsh conditions with no safe destination.
Women have no safe zones. Women and children make up the majority of the death toll which is over 11,000.
There is no water, food, medicine, or electricity.
There are few hospitals to receive treatment for women.
Article 31 prohibits coercion.
Israel is arresting their own citizens for any form of criticism.
They are also arresting Palestinians under the same statute. Reporters have been openly intimidated by IDF soldiers while reporting.
Article 32 prohibits corporal punishment and torture.
The Israeli government currently holds over 6,000 Palestinians prisoners.
Several Palestinian detainees have been killed in Israeli detention since October 7.
All Palestinian detainees in Israel report forms of both torture and abuse. There are cases of rape and sexual assault.
Article 33 cannot arrest/detain without cause.
The Israeli government currently holds over 6,000 Palestinians prisoners and their reason for arrest is unknown which began years ago. These prisoners have been jailed now for years without trial or cause.
More Palestinians are being arrested for no cause. Patients and those seeking shelter in hospitals have been taken and there is no contact with these Palestinians.
Israel is arresting Palestinians and Israelis, beating them, and releasing some after being beaten and intimidated. Many are being held indefinitely and the number is increasing.
Article 34 prohibits hostage taking.
6,000 prisoners are also termed hostages. Foreign governments in the UN Security Council attempted an exchange of these 6,000 hostages which was refused by the US and 3 others. They are hostages as they are being held against their will with no charges or trial.
This number of Palestinian detainees is increasing and families have no contact with these prisoners.
Article 35 right and safety to leave the territory.
There are NO open borders for Palestinians to flee to.
The Rafah border has been continually bombed by the Israeli regime.
The “safe corridors” that Israel has assigned are then attacked by the IDF killing those who are fleeing. Israel does not respect any safe or neutral zones- UN.
Palestinians in Gaza are being cornered into death and the genocide of their people under these conditions.
How we can help:
If you are Palestinian or Israeli and have been affected by the heinous acts of the Israeli government, please send your testimony to the International Criminal Court. Office of the Prosecutor, ICC
Contact your elected officials and national leader/s and ask for an immediate ceasefire today with unimpeded/uninterrupted access to humanitarian aid and safe zones for civilians.
Please donate to UNICEF, Red Crescent Palestine, UNRWA, Anera.org
Please share both the Geneva Convention and the Convention on Genocide Prevention with your family and friends and help educate our world on our most basic rights as a human being. Everyone should read this and know their rights. Everyone should know if their rights are being infringed upon or striped away and have a course of action. Help protect the rights of those who are suffering.
Protest! Find a protest in your area if you are able to join and always spread the word.
Make your voice heard. Share the stories from Palestine on social media and with people in your life. Share their grief and their truth. Speak up for them and their suffering. The more voices that do, the more it is heard.