(May 11, 2026)
Millions of people around the world are demanding that their leaders act to stop Israelâs violations. Humanity must win.
Archiv: World Court (ICJ) order to Israeli government 28-03-2024 / unhindered provision of food water electricity fuel shelter clothing and medical care throughout Gaza / prevent genocide / submit report
Suspend EU-Israel Trade Agreement
Israel is committing heinous violations of international law against Palestinians and in Lebanon with impunity, and has just adopted a death penalty law targeting Palestinians. The European Union (EU) is Israelâs biggest trading partner, and must take concrete action. Italy and Germany can sway the decision to suspend the EU-Israel trade agreement. Send a message and demand Giorgia Meloni and Friedrich Merz stop greenlighting Israelâs genocide, unlawful occupation and apartheid.
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Send a message and demand the leaders of Germany and Italy support suspending the EUâs trade agreement with Israel. There is no time to lose.
Red lines not red carpets: Why Italy & Germany must support suspending EU-Israel Agreement
(May 11, 2026)
Millions of people around the world are demanding that their leaders act to stop Israelâs violations. Humanity must win.
Red lines not red carpets: Why Italy & Germany must support suspending EU-Israel Agreement
Millions of people around the world are demanding that their leaders act to stop Israelâs violations. Humanity must win.
EU: Failure to suspend EU-Israel Association Agreement shows contempt for civilian lives
(April 21, 2026)
Reacting to the EUâs failure to call for a vote to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement or to agree on any other concrete measures today at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty Internationalâs Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns said:
âAt this point, the EUâs decision to maintain its trade agreement with Israel represents a moral failure and illustrates brazen contempt for civilian lives, particularly in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and in Lebanon.
âOne million people in Europe, more than 75 NGOs, almost 400 former diplomats, UN experts as well as Belgium, Ireland, Slovenia and Spain have all called for the immediate suspension of the agreement. Once again, these calls have been disregarded with Germany and Italy playing a key role in blocking the suspension.
Spain, Slovenia, Ireland seek EU talks on Israel treaty suspension
The three countries sent a joint letter to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas last Friday, urging her to âurgently review the EU‘s responseâ and calling for action in light of the situation in Lebanon, as well as a recently approved Israeli law that would impose the death penalty by hanging on Palestinians convicted in Israeli military courts.
Spain, Slovenia, Ireland call to suspend EU-Israel treaty
Spain, Slovenia, and Ireland have urged the European Union to consider suspending its association treaty with Israel, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told reporters on Tuesday before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
„Spain, along with Slovenia and Ireland, has requested that the suspension of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Israel be discussed and debated today,“ Albares said.
Chuck Schumer was one of 7 Senate Democrats to vote to send bulldozers to Israel. 40 Democratic Senators voted no. Mr. Schumer, you are out of touch with our base and the nation. Step aside.
(April 16, 2026)
The Seven Democrats Who Joined Republicans in Opposing Measure to Block Arms Sales to Israel
(April 17, 2026)
In total, 40 senators supported the resolution late Wednesday. The seven Democrat Senators who voted against the measure were Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Chris Coons of Delaware, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
US Senate foils effort to nix Israel arms sales, but record 85% of Democrats support the move
(April 16, 2026)
Sandersâ resolutions to stop bulldozer, bomb deliveries gain unprecedented Democratic support, demonstrating major shift in partyâs approach toward Israel over wars in Gaza, Lebanon
Suspend EU-Israel Trade Agreement
Send a message and demand the leaders of Germany and Italy support suspending the EUâs trade agreement with Israel. There is no time to lose.
One million Europeans ask the EU to suspend association agreement with Israel for ‚crimes in Gaza‘
(April 15, 2026)
A civil petition calling for the total suspension of the EUâIsrael Association Agreement for alleged war crimes has reached one million signatures across all 27 member states.
Under EU rules, the European Commission and the European Parliament must now assess the request.
Remarks by the President of the General Assembly H.E. Ms. Annalena Baerbock at the European Parliament, Strasbourg 10 February 2026
These are trying times.
When President Metsola invited me in September at the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly, the world felt already chaotic. I warned of a make-or-break moment for our multilateral system.
Today, only 40 days into 2026:
Venezuela.
Iran.
Greenland.
On top of Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and so many more crises.
The international order is not only under pressure, it is under attack.
And we face a new and more troubling kind of crisis: conflicts waged not even under the pretense of self-defense or respect for international law but often carried out in open defiance of it.
At precisely the moment when we most need cooperation, most need the United Nations, powers, even those who have a special responsibility to protect peace and security, are pulling away from it or even outright attacking it.
This geopolitical shift towards a world where âmight makes rightâ, contradicts more than a century of hard, bloody lessons, which people of this region remember all too well.
Rules and standards drawn from these experiences, which were believed to be set in stone, are now openly questioned, dismissed, or violated.
History teaches us that large systems rarely collapse in one dramatic moment.
They erode slowly. Rule by rule. Commitment by commitment.
With those who should defend them, rather staying silent.
Until one day, what seemed permanent simply vanishes.
General Assembly President urges Europeans to âstand upâ for the UN
(February 10, 2026)
In a key address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Annalena Baerbock repeated her call to uphold multilateralism amid âtrying timesâ globally.
She noted that just 40 days into 2026, the world has already seen crises around Venezuela, Iran and Greenland, on top of continuing devastation in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere.
âThe international order is not only under pressure, it is under attack,â she told lawmakers.
âAnd we face a new and more troubling kind of crisis: conflicts waged not even under the pretence of self-defence or respect for international law but often carried out in open defiance of it.â
She warned that at precisely the moment the world most needs cooperation and the UN, âpowers â even those who have a special responsibility to protect peace and security â are pulling away from it or even outright attacking it.â
Ms. Baerbock recalled that four years ago, when she was Germanyâs Foreign Minister, she addressed the General Assembly and called for the UN to stand up for Europeâs peace as Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
âToday, Iâm coming as President of the General Assembly to Europe, calling for Europe to stand up for the United Nations because the world needs the UN. But right now, the UN and its principles as enshrined in the Charter, needs the world too,â she said, referring to all continents.
Reminder that Francesca Albanese is not being targeted for a sentence twisted and lifted out of context in a speech. She is being targeted for daring to name the names of giant companies complicit in the crime of genocide. They would rather destroy international law than be accountable to it.
(February 15, 2026)
My full AJ Forum speech last week:
(February 9, 2026)
the common enemy of humanity is THE SYSTEM that has enabled the genocide in Palestine, including the financial capital that funds it, the algorithms that obscure it and the weapons that enable it.
Demand the full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in view of Israelâs violations of human rights
According to the European Commission, the State of Israel is responsible for an unprecedented level of killing and injury of civilians, a large-scale displacement of population and the systematic destruction of hospitals and medical facilities in Gaza. [1] Israel also implemented a blockade of humanitarian aid that could amount to starvation as a method of war. Israel is in breach of multiple rules and obligations under international law and fails to prevent the crime of genocide as ordered by the International Court of Justice.[2]
Yet the European Union has still not suspended its association agreement with Israel, which is the cornerstone of EU-Israel bilateral trade, economic, and political cooperation.
EU citizens cannot tolerate that the EU maintains an agreement that contributes to legitimize and finance a State that commits crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Therefore, we call on the Commission to put forward the proposal to the Council for the full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Demand the full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in view of Israelâs violations of human rights
According to the European Commission, the State of Israel is responsible for an unprecedented level of killing and injury of civilians, a large-scale displacement of population and the systematic destruction of hospitals and medical facilities in Gaza. [1] Israel also implemented a blockade of humanitarian aid that could amount to starvation as a method of war. Israel is in breach of multiple rules and obligations under international law and fails to prevent the crime of genocide as ordered by the International Court of Justice.[2]
Yet the European Union has still not suspended its association agreement with Israel, which is the cornerstone of EU-Israel bilateral trade, economic, and political cooperation.
EU citizens cannot tolerate that the EU maintains an agreement that contributes to legitimize and finance a State that commits crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Therefore, we call on the Commission to put forward the proposal to the Council for the full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
150,000 signatures collected calling for the suspension of European relations with Israel
Just two days after the start of the European Citizensâ Initiative to call for the suspension of European Union relations with Israel, 150,000 signatures have already been collected out of the million needed to present the initiative to the European Parliament under the established popular consultation mechanism. The signature collection campaign will last one year, and any European citizen can sign online at this address.
Israel is a rogue nation. It should be removed from the United Nations
(October 15, 2024)
Over the past year, Israel has launched attacks on multiple countries and occupied territories: the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran.
Yet countries and territories aside, Israel has also targeted one specific organization with a series of unprecedented rhetorical and violent attacks.
Yes, the United Nations. We have all witnessed Israel, in effect, declare war on the UN.
Israelâs genocide against Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated despite ceasefire
In December 2024 Amnesty International issued an extensive study concluding that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza arguing that Israel had carried out three acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza, including killings, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction.
Today despite a reduction in scale of attacks, and some limited improvements, there has been no meaningful change in the conditions Israel is inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza and no evidence to indicate that Israelâs intent has changed.
âIsrael has inflicted devastating harm on Palestinians in Gaza through its genocide, including two years of relentless bombardment and deliberate systematic starvation. So far, there is no indication that Israel is taking serious measures to reverse the deadly impact of its crimes and no evidence that its intent has changed. In fact, Israeli authorities are continuing their ruthless policies, restricting access to vital humanitarian aid and essential services, and deliberately imposing conditions calculated to physically destroy Palestinians in Gaza,â said AgnĂšs Callamard.
At least 347people, including 136 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire was announced on 9 October. Israel continues to restrict access to critical aid and relief supplies, including medical supplies and equipment necessary to repair life-sustaining infrastructure, violating multiple orders from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for Israel to ensure that Palestinians have access to humanitarian supplies, in the case brought by South Africa to prevent Israelâs genocide. In January 2024, the ICJ found that Palestiniansâ rights under the Genocide Convention, namely their survival were plausibly at risk.
The objective probability that the current conditions would lead to the destruction of Palestinians in Gaza persists, particularly considering the enhanced vulnerability of the population to sickness and spread of disease following months of famine caused by years of unlawful blockade and months of total siege earlier this year. This has created circumstances that would lead to a slow death of Palestinians resulting from the lack of proper food, water, shelter, clothing or sanitation.
Israel‘s genocide in Gaza continues as Palestinians face ‚slow death‘, Amnesty says
Ceasefire violations by Israel, no housing, destroyed farmland and ongoing sea blockade are intended to destroy Palestinians in Gaza, report says
Israeli Military Attacks Flotilla in International Waters
8 October 2025 â The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and Thousand Madleens to Gaza (TMTG) confirm that three boat : Gaza Sunbirds, Alaa Al-Najajr, Anas Al-Sharif, have been attacked and illegally intercepted by the Israeli military at 04:34 at 120 nautical miles (220km) from Gaza.
Sources so far indicate that the unarmed crew aboard, including doctors, journalists, and elected officials, have been abducted, as well as the vital aid worth over $110,000 USD in medicines, respiratory equipment, and nutritional supplies that were destined for Gazaâs starving hospitals. Their whereabouts remain unknown.
âIsrael has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard these ships,â David Heap, Canadian Boat to Gaza and Freedom Flotilla Coalition Steering Committee. âThis seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJâs binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. Our volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalized for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade. Their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately.â
Uniting for Peace in Gaza: A Test for the General Assembly
(September 17, 2025)
On 5 September 2025, a group of 45 United Nations human rights experts, composed of UN Special Rapporteurs, UN independent experts and UN Working Group members, called the UN General Assembly to invoke the Uniting for Peace resolution in order to respond to the escalating famine and genocidal conditions in Gaza. In their joint statement, the experts urged the Assembly to (i) recommend a peace operation, (ii) demand that all crossings into Gaza be opened under UN supervision, (iii) suspend humanitarian mechanisms that had proved dangerous or ineffective, (iv) call upon Mediterranean states to deploy humanitarian naval missions, (v) authorize UN-led humanitarian convoys to supervise all crossings, and (vi) demand a permanent ceasefire alongside the release of detainees and hostages.
Uniting for Peace in Gaza: A Test for the General Assembly
On 5 September 2025, a group of 45 United Nations human rights experts, composed of UN Special Rapporteurs, UN independent experts and UN Working Group members, called the UN General Assembly to invoke the Uniting for Peace resolution in order to respond to the escalating famine and genocidal conditions in Gaza. In their joint statement, the experts urged the Assembly to (i) recommend a peace operation, (ii) demand that all crossings into Gaza be opened under UN supervision, (iii) suspend humanitarian mechanisms that had proved dangerous or ineffective, (iv) call upon Mediterranean states to deploy humanitarian naval missions, (v) authorize UN-led humanitarian convoys to supervise all crossings, and (vi) demand a permanent ceasefire alongside the release of detainees and hostages.
Legal analysis of the conduct of Israel in Gaza pursuant to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
246. The duty to prevent and punish genocide applies not only to the responsible State but to all States Parties to the Genocide Convention and indeed to all States under customary international law. In the Barcelona Traction case, the International Court of Justice recognised the erga omnes obligation in preventing and punishing genocide487 and held that the Genocide Convention obligates all States Parties to prevent and punish the crime of genocide.488 Even in the absence of an express order by the International Court of Justice, all States have a duty to assess whether a violation of the Genocide Convention has occurred or may occur and take steps to determine their own obligations in preventing and punishing such acts.
247. On 26 January 2024, in its first of three provisional measures orders in the South Africa v. Israel case, the International Court of Justice put all States on notice of the plausibility of the State of Israel committing genocide in its military operations in Gaza since 7 October 2023. The Court said, âat least some of the rights claimed by South Africa and for which it is seeking protection are plausible. This is the case with respect to the right of the Palestinians in Gaza to be protected from acts of genocide and related prohibited acts identified in Article III [of the Genocide Convention].â It found âa real and imminent risk that irreparable prejudice will be caused to the rights found by the Court to be plausibleâ.
248. It noted, inter alia, the catastrophic living conditions in Gaza. On 24 May 2024, the Court reinforced its earlier order, saying that âthe current situation arising from Israelâs military offensive in Rafah entails a further risk of irreparable prejudice to the plausible rights claimed by South Africa and that there is urgency, in the sense that there exists a real and imminent risk that such prejudice will be caused before the Court gives its final decision.“ It ordered Israel to âimmediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in partâ.492 The Commission emphasises the importance of these provisional measures orders in providing a strong statement to other States of their obligations to prevent and punish genocide.
249. Therefore, the Commission finds that, since at least 26 January 2024, when the International Court of Justice ordered its first provisional measures, all States Parties to the Genocide Convention, and all other States too, have been on notice of a serious risk that genocide was being or would be committed. As such, the duty to prevent genocide was triggered due to the actual or constructive knowledge of the immediate plausibility that genocide was being or was about to be committed. According to the International Court of Justice, where States Parties are able to contribute to the prevention of genocide, they are obligated to âemploy all means reasonably available to them, so as to prevent genocide so far as possible.â Responsibility may be incurred if a State Party âmanifestly failed to take all measures to prevent genocide which were within its power, and which might have contributed to preventing the genocide.â
250. Consistent with the obligations promulgated under the Genocide Convention, the Commission therefore notes that States are obliged to (i) ensure that Israel implements all orders for provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice; (ii) cooperate to bring to an end all Israeli actions in Gaza that amount to a violation of the Genocide Convention; (iii) take steps to ensure the prevention of conduct that may amount to an act of genocide under the Genocide Convention, including the transfer of weapons that are used or likely to be used by Israel to commit genocidal acts; (iv) not recognise as lawful the military operations in Gaza that led to the violations of peremptory norms (jus cogens), including genocide; and (v) conduct investigations and take steps to ensure the punishment of violations of peremptory norms. The Commission recommends that, in fulfilment of these obligations, States (i) intervene in the International Court of Justice proceedings of South Africa v. Israel; and (ii) support and cooperate fully with the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in its investigation into the situation in the State of Palestine, with the aim of advancing international accountability.
Gaza: UN experts urge General Assembly to respond to famine and genocide
(September 5, 2025)
GENEVA â UN experts* today issued an urgent appeal for an emergency meeting of the UN General Assembly, warning that the international community must act immediately before the 17 September-deadline for demanding an end to Israel‘s occupation of Palestine, as genocide and a man-made famine unfold in Gaza.
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The experts called on the General Assembly to convene an emergency meeting to:
– Call on Member states to act under âuniting for peaceâ in line with General Assembly resolution 377 V and recommend a peace operation.
– Demand the opening of all the crossings to unrestricted humanitarian access under direct UN oversight.
– Demand the immediate suspension of failed or dangerous mechanisms, including those that have led to widespread killings at aid distribution points.
– Call on Member States with ports in the Mediterranean Sea to urgently deploy emergency navies carrying humanitarian aid.
– Request the authorisation of UN-led international humanitarian convoys with full UN authority to coordinate and supervise all crossings into Gaza.
– Demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire and the release of arbitrarily detained Palestinians and Israelis alike.
âThe situation in Gaza is intolerable and unconscionable,â the experts said.
âThe General Assembly must uphold the duty of the United Nations to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians, end the violence, and guarantee that life-saving assistance reaches the people of Gaza without obstruction or delay. Anything less makes the international community complicit in these grave violations.â
The experts:
– Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories, occupied since 1967
– Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association;
– Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
– Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the right to food
– Nicolas Levrat, Special Rapporteur on minority issues
– Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons
– Pedro Arrojo Agudo, Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
– SiobhĂĄn Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children
– Heba Hagrass, Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
– Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
– George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order
– Claudia Flores (Chair), Ivana KrstiÄ (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Haina Lu, and Laura Nyirinkindi, Working group on discrimination against women and girls
– Jovana Jezdimirovic Ranito (Chair-Rapporteur), Ravindran Daniel, Michelle Small, Joana de Deus Pereira, AndrĂ©s MacĂas Tolosa, Working Group on the use of mercenaries
– Ashwini K.P. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
– Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
– Bina D‘Costa (Chair), Barbara G. Reynolds, Isabelle Mamadou, Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent
– Carlos Duarte (Chair), Shalmali Guttal, Davit Hakobyan (vice-chair), Uche Ofodile (vice chair), Genevieve Savigny, Working Group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas
– Astrid Puentes Riaño, Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
– Mai Sato, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
– Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
– Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing;
– Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences
– Elisa Morgera, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change
– Farida Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the right to education;
– Gabriella Citroni (Chair-Rapporteur), GraĆŒyna Baranowska (Vice-Chair), Aua BaldĂ©, Ana Lorena Delgadillo PĂ©rez, and Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
– Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights
– Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the right to development
Still no EU action on Israel, despite Gaza famine
Most Israel sanctions options – such as blacklisting settlers, banning settler imports, or imposing an arms embargo – required EU consensus, meaning the Czechs and Israel‘s other top EU ally, Hungary, would veto them.
Some options – such as freezing Horizon or Israel‘s EU free-trade perks – could be done by a qualified majority in the EU Council, but there was no majority without Germany and Italy on board.
Krieg im Gazastreifen: Deutschland will Israel-Sanktionen nicht zustimmen
Ob der Sanktionsvorschlag der Kommission umgesetzt werden kann, hĂ€ngt davon ab, ob er im Rat der Mitgliedstaaten die UnterstĂŒtzung einer qualifizierten Mehrheit bekommt – das heiĂt: 15 der 27 EU-Staaten, die zusammen mindestens 65 Prozent der Bevölkerung der teilnehmenden Mitgliedstaaten reprĂ€sentieren, mĂŒssen zustimmen. Zuletzt fehlte nur noch die UnterstĂŒtzung von Deutschland oder Italien. Alle anderen groĂen EU-Staaten und viele kleinere sind fĂŒr die StrafmaĂnahme.
AuĂenministertreffen in DĂ€nemark: Deutschland will Israel-Sanktion nicht zustimmen
Die vorgesehene Einstellung von Zusammenarbeit im Rahmen des Forschungsförderungsprogramms Horizon Europe sei eine MaĂnahme, die vermutlich keinen Einfluss auf die politische Willensbildung und auf das militĂ€rische Vorgehen Israels im Gazastreifen hĂ€tte, betonte Wadephul. Deswegen sei man von diesen VorschlĂ€gen nicht so sehr ĂŒberzeugt.
Gaza death and destruction âwithout parallel in recent timesâ: Guterres
Mr. Guterres was speaking ahead of a Security Council meeting on the situation in Haiti but stopped to brief reporters on the âunfolding tragedy that is Gazaâ, where âyet more unconscionable Israeli strikesâ have occurred.
Incidents include the two airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis earlier this week which killed civilians, including medical personnel and journalists, âall with the world watchingâ.
The Secretary-General said âthese attacks are part of an endless catalogue of horrorsâ and called for accountability.
âGaza is piled with rubble, piled with bodies, and piled with examples of what may be serious violations of international law,â he said.
âHostages taken by Hamas and other groups must be released and the atrocious treatment they have been forced to endure must stop. Civilians must be protected.â
Mr. Guterres stressed that âthe levels of death and destruction in Gaza are without parallel in recent timesâ.
Moreover, âfamine is no longer a looming possibility – it is a present-day catastrophe.â
People are dying from hunger, yet Gazaâs food, water and healthcare systems have been systematically dismantled.
âThese are the facts on the ground. And they are the result of deliberate decisions that defy basic humanity,â he said. âIsrael, as the occupying power, has clear obligations.â
He said Israel must ensure the provision of food, water, medicine, and other essentials. This is in addition to agreeing to and facilitating far greater humanitarian access to Gaza as well as protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Mr. Guterres said the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has given binding provisional measures which must be implemented in full and immediately.
They include the obligation to take all steps to ensure unfettered humanitarian and medical assistance to Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip without delay and in full cooperation with the United Nations.
Meanwhile, the UN and partners are doing all they can, he said. This is often at great personal risk, as tragically 366 UN personnel have been killed.
âDay after day, our efforts are being blocked, delayed, and denied,â he said. âThis is unacceptable.â
Mr. Guterres also addressed the situation in the West Bank, describing it as âprofoundly alarmingâ.
He said Israeli military operations, settler violence, demolitions, and discriminatory policies are driving displacement and deepening vulnerability.
Furthermore, the relentless expansion of settlements is fracturing communities and cutting off access to vital resources.
The Israeli authorities recently approved of a plan for the construction of thousands of settlements in the E1 area. He said this would effectively separate the northern and southern West Bank, representing âan existential threat to the two-state solutionâ between Israelis and Palestinians.
âI repeat: the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem have been established â and are being maintained — in violation of international law,â he stressed.
âIsrael must cease such actions and comply with its obligations.â
The Secretary-General concluded his remarks by emphasizing that there is no military solution to the conflict.
âI appeal once again for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, unfettered humanitarian access across Gaza, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,â he said.
âStarvation of the civilian population must never be used as a method of warfare. Civilians must be protected. Humanitarian access must be unimpeded,â he added, ending with a plea for âNo more excuses. No more obstacles. No more lies.â
The Architecture of Genocidal Starvation in Gaza,March â August 2025
In its 28 March 2024 order in the case of South Africa v. Israel, making explicit reference to the âcatastrophic humanitarian situationâ in Gaza, the International Court of Justice instructed the State of Israel to:
âTake all necessary and e ective measures to ensure, without delay, in full co-operation with the United Nations, the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance, including food, water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation requirements, as well as medical supplies and medical care to Palestinians throughout Gaza, including by increasing the capacity and number of land crossing points and maintaining them open for as long as necessary.â
The Court indicated that Israel was required to take these measures to comply with its obligations under the Genocide Convention and raised particular concern regarding âthe spread of famine and starvationâ.
In the sixteen months since the Court issued this order, Israel has continued to pursue policies which have the foreseeable outcome of the destruction of the Palestinian people of Gaza.
This report focuses on an Israeli system of aid distribution that ostensibly feeds Palestinians in Gaza, while in fact, according to our analysis, constituting a programme of intentional mass starvation on two levels: ïŹrst, the starvation of individuals through the provision of starvation rations or no rations at all, and second, the use of mass starvation as a means of destroying the social order among the population of Gaza as a whole, towards the
dismantling of the foundations of a functioning society in the region, and the separation of that population from its land.
Our ïŹndings show how Israel has systematically dismantled the long-standing and e ective âcivilian modelâ of aid distribution through aid organisations and the local community. In its place, Israel has established a âmilitary modelâ of aid distribution which carries out starvation rationing. Through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and airdropped aid, Israel has created dependency upon a system which is, we conclude, deadly by design.
Report Details Israel‘s ‚Architecture of Genocidal Starvation‘ in Gaza
Aug 22, 2025
As the world‘s leading authority on hunger crises officially declared a catastrophic famine in Gaza, a report published Friday details how Israel has dismantled the time-tested civilian aid distribution model and replaced it with a military-based system in which many Palestinians are not only dying from starvation but are also being killed while trying to obtain food.
Forensic Architecture (FA)âa multidisciplinary research group based at Goldsmiths, University of Londonâand World Peace Foundation (WPF), a philanthropic organization affiliated with the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusettsâpublished The Architecture of Genocidal Starvation in Gaza, March-August 2025, „revealing how… Israel has dismantled the proven and internationally-backed ‚civilian model‘ of aid distribution, replacing it with a ‚military model‘ which furthers Israel‘s military and political objectives in Gaza while starving the region‘ss civilian population.“