Condemnations Don’t Stop a Genocide

Written by Tazeen Hasan, Researcher & Policy analyst, Justice For All Canada
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Israel’s plan to militarily seize Gaza City and expand control over the entire Gaza Strip has drawn sharp global condemnation, with leaders warning it will deepen the humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged enclave. UN rights chief Volker Turk said the move violates international law and the International Court of Justice’s ruling to end the occupation, while leaders from the UK, Turkiye, China, Australia, and Finland urged Israel to halt its escalation, warning of mass displacement, famine, and further bloodshed. Many reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian aid, with Australia and China stressing Palestinian statehood and territorial integrity. Even Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the decision, calling it a disaster that defies military advice and risks long-term damage.

Such verbal condemnation is not new, we have been hearing it for the past 22 months, with little to no impact on the ground. On July 21, a coalition of 32 countries issued a joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and unrestricted humanitarian access, yet Israel’s actions have only escalated since. If global institutions and Western governments are truly serious, they must act now. Mere words will not stop the deliberate starvation of children, will not open Gaza’s crossings to allow unrestricted aid deliveries, and will certainly not prevent Israel’s takeover of Gaza. Condemnations, without decisive follow-up, only embolden the aggressor.

At this point, high-level diplomatic circles and global institutions should heed the urgent calls from Israeli human rights organizations and the Irish president, who have both demanded international intervention to halt Israel’s genocidal campaign. The UN Security Council has clear authority under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter to take binding measures, including the use of force, when peace and security are under grave threat. Without invoking these powers, and without deploying enforceable measures such as sanctions or protection forces, Israel’s current path will continue unchecked.

The reality is that Israel is relentlessly advancing its aggression to the next stage. Even if the genocide in Gaza were to end, it would not stop there, it will move to erase and exterminate Palestinians from the West Bank, and escalate its operations in Syria and Lebanon. Its far-right leadership openly declares a settler-colonial, expansionist agenda, and recent strikes on Lebanon, Syria, and even Iran demonstrate its willingness to export this aggression regionally.
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The world cannot afford to treat this as a series of isolated escalations, it is part of a coherent and declared strategy of territorial expansion, ethnic cleansing and Genocide. The time for statements has long passed. Only coordinated, decisive, and sustained action under international law can stop the unfolding catastrophe and prevent the destabilisation of the wider region.