Why the world must never forget the victims of the Gaza genocide
A Palestinian girl sits outside one of the tents for displaced people in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on 6 October 2025
Talal Ahmad Abu Rokbeh writes in Middle East Eye on 8 October 2025:
What has been unfolding in the Gaza Strip for nearly two years is not merely a humanitarian disaster; it is a political crime with profound historical and geopolitical consequences.
It has exposed the weaknesses of international rhetoric on human rights, peace and security, as such talk has done nothing to halt Israel’s ongoing massacres, nor to curb its policies aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from Gaza – now one of the world’s largest open-air cemeteries.
Yet the genocide has also awakened free consciences around the globe, inspiring a collective defence of humanity, justice and the right of all peoples to self-determination.
Millions of voices have risen worldwide to denounce Israel’s slaughter of men, women and children in Gaza, alongside the destruction of much of the territory’s civilian infrastructure. Countries including the UK, France and Canada, among others, recently announced their recognition of a Palestinian state, stressing the need for a genuine political path towards peaceful coexistence.
Even for states that have long supported Israel, the Gaza genocide has become impossible to ignore.
What has unfolded over the past two years marks one of the most heinous crimes against humanity in the modern era. Civilians have been targeted, humanitarian aid has been blocked, and entire neighbourhoods have been wiped off the map. Food has been used as a mechanism of extermination, with thousands of hungry Palestinians killed by Israeli forces at aid distribution centres.
Israel has flagrantly violated international humanitarian law, disregarding global norms and conventions, as highlighted by a plethora of reports from the United Nations and other human rights groups.
Watershed moment
This brutal aggression is not just a human tragedy. It’s also a watershed moment in the history of international relations, prompting many countries to reconsider their positions on the conflict, while exposing the double standards embedded within the international system.
This raises critical questions about how to preserve the memory of the victims, and how to document Israel’s horrific crimes to prevent their recurrence.