The Gaza War and the Role of the International Community

Since October 7, 2023, #Israel has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians in #Gaza, the majority of whom women and children. As Israel continues to target journalists, healthcare professionals, and humanitarian aid workers, there are at least 93,000 Palestinians injured and thousands arrested and tortured including sexually assaulted, while the majority of Gaza’s population suffers from displacement, famine, disease, and widespread destruction. This session will assess the role of western democracies–who claim to support human rights, international law, and humanitarian causes–in supporting and sustaining the human-made devastation in Gaza, the obligations of the United Nations and its member states, and the global short- and long-term implications of the failures to protect civilians, prevent genocide, and end the war. Speakers Martin Griffiths, Former Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations Yara M. Asi – Moderator Non-Resident Fellow, Arab Center Washington DC; Assistant Professor, School of Global Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida.