The Failure to Enforce International Law to Protect Civilians in Gaza: Where to from Here?

The failure to enforce international law has been at the centre of global discussions on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict over many decades, and this failure has been underscored by the mass atrocities committed against civilians since October 2023. Legal debates have focused on the illegality of the Israeli occupation, international criminal responsibility for alleged crimes (and the legal definition of these crimes), the use of Security Council veto power despite evidence of mass atrocities, as well as the responsibility of private actors for such crimes. Current concerns arising from the atrocities in Gaza include the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide, the use of starvation as a method of warfare, and restrictions on humanitarian access amidst widespread internal displacements and the massive destruction of property that will take decades to rebuild. Despite proceedings at international tribunals, as well as a ceasefire agreement and a Security Council resolution providing for transitional arrangements, including an International Stabilization Force, the violence continues and Palestinian civilians are killed daily. This panel brings together Palestinian, Israeli, and international experts to discuss the failure of governments and international institutions to respect and enforce international law to end the ongoing atrocities, and to provide meaningful protections to civilians. It will consider pathways for more effective international law interventions in the future.