The grim milestone of seven months has passed since Israel started its military offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack — and there is no end in sight.
The Israeli assault on Gaza has been characterized by systematic human rights violations and a flagrant disregard for international legal norms. Israel thumbing its nose at international law has had little to no practical consequences, calling into question the very existence of a rules-based global order — an order that many countries, including Japan, supposedly depend on for their stability and security.
Gaza is the first livestreamed genocide, plain for the entire world to see. As of the time of writing, over 35,000 Palestinians have been killed and 79,000 wounded — figures that do not include the many thousands of people feared dead under the rubble. Of the casualties, an estimated 60% are women and children, making a mockery of the claim that Israel is only targeting Hamas combatants.