Genocide in Gaza: Euro-Med calls for international accountability on one-year anniversary

As Israel's genocidal campaign against the people of Gaza marks one year, the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has released a detailed and harrowing report exposing the grave atrocities committed by Israeli occupation forces since October 7, 2023.

Ekleme: 07.10.2024 14:09:14 / Güncelleme: 07.10.2024 14:09:14 / English News
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The report, titled De-Gaza: A Year of Israel’s Genocide and the Collapse of World Order, paints a grim picture of Israeli war crimes and the deliberate targeting of civilians under the pretext of security. What is clear, Euro-Med emphasizes, is the complicity of the international community in enabling these atrocities by its inaction.

The report meticulously documents the systematic genocide perpetrated by the Israeli army, supported by Euro-Med’s field teams on the ground. It reveals that more than 50,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, have been killed in the past year, with around 42,000 of these deaths recorded by the Gaza Health Ministry. Tens of thousands more have been injured, with countless bodies still trapped beneath rubble due to the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure.

The Unfolding Genocide

This brutal military campaign, which Israel claims is necessary for its security, has inflicted unimaginable suffering on Gaza's civilian population. The report emphasizes that Israel’s actions far exceed mere military objectives; they meet the legal definition of genocide under international law. The blockade, in place for over a decade, has starved Gaza of essential resources—food, clean water, medical supplies—while ongoing bombings have wiped out homes, schools, and hospitals.

As of today, 83% of Gaza's medical supplies have been depleted, and 60% of medications are no longer available, leading to severe health crises. Israel’s relentless airstrikes, ground assaults, and use of advanced weaponry have turned the densely populated enclave into a wasteland of despair. More than 3,500 families have experienced multiple losses, with many seeing entire households wiped out. These collective punishments, carried out through methods such as starvation tactics, targeting civilians in designated safe zones, and assassinating humanitarian workers, are clear violations of international law.

Complicit Silence from the International Community

Despite the overwhelming evidence of genocide, the global community, particularly Western powers, has remained largely silent. The report highlights how the complicity of nations like the United States, the United Kingdom, and others emboldens Israel’s actions. The international judiciary, too, has failed to act decisively, allowing Israel to continue its genocidal campaign without fear of accountability.

Euro-Med Monitor condemns this complicity, asserting that silence in the face of such atrocities makes these nations accomplices to the crimes. The report stresses that stopping this genocide is not only a moral imperative but a legal obligation under international law. It calls for an immediate and complete arms embargo on Israel, the termination of all arms-related agreements, and the cessation of military cooperation with Israel.

A Plea for Justice and Accountability

The report’s recommendations call for urgent action to end Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and dismantle the apartheid system that has left Palestinians disenfranchised and oppressed. Beyond immediate measures to halt the ongoing genocide, the report emphasizes the need for international pressure to bring Israel to justice. This includes freezing Israeli assets, imposing travel bans on Israeli officials, and holding accountable those complicit in these crimes.

Furthermore, Euro-Med Monitor calls for an end to all forms of international support for Israel, be it political, economic, or cultural. These punitive measures, the report argues, are essential to prevent the recurrence of such crimes and to uphold the rights of Palestinians to live in dignity and freedom.

As the world marks a year since the start of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza, it is more urgent than ever for the international community to act. The suffering of the Palestinian people, the report concludes, cannot be allowed to continue. Justice, accountability, and the end of the occupation are not only achievable but necessary to prevent further bloodshed and to restore peace in the region.

The call is clear: Gaza cannot wait any longer. (ILKHA)