War of words

A group of children lean against an upturned table. Each one holds out a metal bowl or plastic tub. On the other side of the table, a charity worker has set up a temporary kitchen handing out food. But none of the children's bowls are full.

This scene took place in Rafah, in the southern district of the Gaza StripThe smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, surrounded by Israel and Egypt. . The city currently contains about 1.5 million PalestiniansPeople from Palestine, an area located in the Southern Levant region of Western Asia. , living in temporary camps. Supplies are scarce, meaning eight-hour queues for water and bread, and fears of famine.

Since 27 October 2023, when IsraelA country in the Middle East, and the only Jewish nation in the modern period. It is seen by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the Holy Land.'s army began operations in Gaza, roughly 27,947 Palestinians have been killed and 1.9 million displaced.¹ Over half the population are living in Rafah, which Israel originally declared a "safe zone". On Sunday night, Israel's offensive in the city began, with strikes that killed dozens and a raid that rescued two hostages.

John Kirby, a senior American defence spokesman, had warned that the Israeli army entering the city would be "a disaster for those people and not something we would support".² He is not the only one - officials from the EU, UNUnited Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security., Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands and the UK all warned against an offensive in Rafah this weekend. Meanwhile, critics claim this is more evidence of Israel's alleged genocideThe annihilation of a people, either through killing of its members, or through the suppression of its culture. of the Palestinian people.

Genocide means violent acts committed to destroy a "national, ethnic, racial or religious group".³ The term was invented by Polish-Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin, combining the Greek word "genos" (race or tribe) with the Latin word "cide". Lemkin used the term to describe the HolocaustThe murder of six million Jewish people in Europe by Nazi Germany. Members of other minority groups were also killed. , in which every member of his family except for one brother was killed.

After World War Two, it became clear that modern weapons could kill huge numbers. This resulted in a series of laws controlling how wars could be fought, with protections for citizens not actively fighting. These protections were recognised in two important treaties: the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Convention.

Last month the government of South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinian people. They pointed to statements made by Israeli politicians and generals, such as referring to Palestinians as "human animals".⁴ They also argued that the civilianA person who is not in the armed services or the police force. population of Gaza has been deliberately targeted.

Israel responded that these accusations ignore the attacks against their own civilians on 7 OctoberOn 7 October 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza, carried out a series of surprise attacks on Israel, killing more than 1,000 people and taking more than one hundred hostages. . They also accused HamasA militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK. of using public resources like hospitals to hide military command centres, making civilian deaths more likely.

Their case was heard at the International Court of Justice. Its focus was not on the amount of damage caused by the war, but on whether Israel intended to commit genocide. However, intention is much harder to prove.

The court ordered Israel to take all possible measures to prevent genocidal acts and ensure that services and aid resumed in Gaza. However, they stopped short of accusing Israel of genocide or calling for a ceasefire.

Given the history of the Jewish people, accusations of genocide bring out strong reactions. Whether or not the Israeli army intends to commit genocide, the war has caused the death and displacement of countless civilians. For as long as fighting continues, the criticism will grow louder.

Is this genocide?

Yes: By killing so many civilians alongside military targets, some argue, the Israeli army is showing that they place no value on Palestinian lives.

No: War is always violent, but Hamas started the conflict when they killed over a thousand Israeli civilians. Countries have the right to defend themselves.

Or... Even if intention is difficult to prove, the death and displacement of so many Palestinians means people will keep accusing the Israeli army of genocide.