The Israeli Aggressive War on the Gaza Strip: An Analytical Study from the Perspective of International Law

Abstract

This research discusses the Israeli aggressive war on the Gaza Strip from the perspective of international law and the extent of Israel’s violation of the rules of international law, especially the rules of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have committed many atrocities and crimes against Palestinian civilians. This brutal and unprecedented war in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has led to the death of more than 40,000 and injury of more than 90,000, most of whom were children, women, and the elderly. Israel has tried to justify this war based on the right to self-defence, particularly in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. Some countries allied with Israel, such as the United States, Britain, and Germany, supported this idea. However, many countries, international organizations, jurists, and experts denied this pretext because Israel is an occupying power and has, accordingly, no right to use this argument to justify this aggression. This research discusses several topics, including the legal status of the Gaza Strip, previous Israeli wars on the Gaza Strip, and the impact of the October 7 attack on the current conflict. It also discusses examples of Israeli violations and crimes in the current war on Gaza. It refutes the idea of self-defence that Israel tries to rely on to justify its aggression. It also discusses the legal options available to prosecute Israeli war criminals for these violations and crimes against civilians in the Gaza Strip.