The grim milestone of seven months has passed since Israel began its military offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas’ attack on October 7 – and there is no end in sight.
The Israeli assault on Gaza is characterized by systematic human rights violations and blatant disregard for international legal norms. Israel turning its nose up at international law has had little to no practical consequences, calling into question the existence of a rules-based world order – an order that many countries, including Japan, supposedly depend on for their stability and security .
Gaza is the first genocide to be livestreamed and clearly visible for the entire world to see. At the time of writing, more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed and 79,000 injured – figures that do not include the many thousands of people feared trapped under the rubble. Of the victims, an estimated 60% are women and children, making a mockery of Israel’s claim that it only targets Hamas fighters.
