Gaza

Map indicating the location of the Gaza Strip. Image courtesy of Picryl is in the public domain.

Where

The Gaza Strip is a small region in the Middle East bordered by Israel, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a Palestinian territory under control of Hamas, a Palestinian militant group.[1]

What

Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, took 251 Israelis and others hostage, and killed 1,200 people. Israel has not yet released 58 hostages or their bodies.[2] Israel responded with a widespread military operation in Gaza. The October 7 attack began a conflict that is ongoing as of this writing and that has expanded with attacks into Israel from Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon.[3] Hezbollah and Hamas are supported by Iran, effectively destabilizing the entire region.[4] Civilian death tolls, infrastructure devastation, and environmental damage in Gaza continue to mount.

Response

International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been investigating the situation in both Israel and Palestine, beginning with conflicts in 2014 through today.[5] The ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, Yoav Gallant, former Minister of Defense of Israel, and Mohammed Diab, former Hamas commander.[6] Netanyahu and Gallant are accused of war crimes, including targeting civilians and using starvation as warfare, and crimes against humanity, including persecution, inhumane acts, and murder.[7][8] The accused have not yet been apprehended. Diab was accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including taking hostages, torture, sexual violence, rape, murder, and extermination.[9] Diab was killed in 2025 and proceedings against him have been terminated.[10]

The current U.S. administration strongly supports Netanyahu and his actions. In a show of this support, the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2025 voted to impose sanctions on individuals and organizations working for or with the ICC.[11] The bill, called the ‘Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act,’ did not go forward in the Senate.[12] The Trump administration issued ICC sanctions via Executive Order in February 2025.[13] The sanctions include visa denials and asset freezes for individuals involved in the ICC’s investigations and specifically target the ICC Chief Prosecutor. At least three lawsuits have been filed in the US challenging the constitutionality of the sanctions.[14][15][16] The 124 state parties continue to strongly support the Court and to decry the sanctions’ abridgment of First Amendment rights for witnesses, judges, prosecutors, and others.[17][18]

International Court of Justice

There are presently two cases at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) dealing with the conflict in Gaza.[19][20] South Africa filed a case against Israel in December 2023 alleging that Israel was violating the Genocide Convention by committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel responded, claiming that their actions were in self-defense against Hamas. The ICJ ruled that Palestinians had a plausible right to protection from genocide, and that South Africa could present this claim, but did not decide whether Israel’s actions in Gaza amounted to genocide. The court ordered provisional measures for Israel to prevent acts contrary to the Genocide Convention, but did not halt Israel’s military campaign.[21] Israel rejected the court’s orders and Israel was later ordered to provide immediate food aid to Gaza.[22]

Nicaragua brought a case to the ICJ in March 2024 accusing Germany of enabling genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The claim centers on Germany’s military support for Israel and its decision to stop funding the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The ICJ denied Nicaragua’s request for provisional measures and the case is pending as of June 2025.[23]

UN Security Council Vetoes

The US, despite international criticism, has vetoed UN Security Council resolutions regarding ceasefires in Gaza.[24] The US states that any ceasefire agreement must first include release of all hostages.[25]

Today

The war in Gaza has generated political upheaval in both Israel, where there is much division about Netanyahu’s leadership, and the US, with demonstrations on campuses and in cities from coast to coast.[26] The Trump administration refers to pro-Palestinian activism on university campuses as “illegal protests” and “antisemitism,” and demands changes in university policies, admissions, and is threatening the withdrawal of federal funds.[27]

The significant rise in antisemitism in the US and elsewhere around the world has been attributed to the crisis in Gaza.

The World Health Organization reports a worsening food crisis in Gaza, with the entire population facing severe food insecurity.[28] The situation is exacerbated by ongoing conflict and restricted humanitarian aid access, leaving many thousands without food and essential supplies.[29] About half of Gaza’s population is experiencing life-threatening hunger.[30] In addition to the crisis of starvation, there is an increasingly deepening crisis of displacement with 90% of Gaza’s population displaced, some as many as ten times.[31]

Updated June 2025.

References

[1] Al Jazeera. (2023, October 8). What is Hamas? A simple guide to the armed Palestinian group. Al Jazeera. https://web.archive.org/web/20231008152411/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/8/what-is-the-group-hamas-a-simple-guide-tothe-palestinian-group

[2] Peled, A. & Said, S. (2025, February 27). Hamas Took Around 250 Hostages From Israel. Here’s What We Know. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/hamas-hostages-israel-gaza-41432124

[3] Council on Foreign Relations. (2025, May 28). Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict

[4] ul Haq, I. (2024, March 26). Iran and Hezbollah: Proxy Power Play. Institute for Security & Development Policy. https://www.isdp.eu/iran-and-hezbollah-proxy-power-play/

[5] International Criminal Court. (2021, March 3). Statement of ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, respecting an investigation of the Situation in Palestine. ICC. https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/statement-icc-prosecutor-fatou-bensouda-respecting-investigation-situation-palestine

[6] UN News. (2024, November 21). ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas commander. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/1157286

[7] International Criminal Court. (n.d.). Gallant. ICC. https://www.icc-cpi.int/defendant/gallant

[8] International Criminal Court. (n.d.). Netanyahu. ICC. https://www.icc-cpi.int/defendant/netanyahu

[9] International Criminal Court. (n.d.). Deif. ICC. https://www.icc-cpi.int/defendant/deif

[10] International Criminal Court. (2025, February 14). Pre-Trial Chamber I, Situation in the State of Palestine, Prosecution’s notification of the death of Mohammed Diab Ibrahim AL-M ASRI

(“DEIF”) and request to terminate the proceedings. ICC. https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/CourtRecords/0902ebd180abdcb5.pdf

[11] Congress.gov. (n.d.). Summary: H.R.23 — 119th Congress (2025-2026). Congress. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/23

[12] Govtrack.us. (n.d.). H.R. 23: Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act. Govtrack. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr23

[13] The White House. (2025, February 6). Imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/imposing-sanctions-on-the-international-criminal-court/

[14] ACLU. (2025, April 11). Smith v. Trump. ACLU. https://www.aclu.org/cases/smith-v-trump

[15] Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse. (2025, April 15). Rona v. Trump (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York). Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse.  https://clearinghouse.net/doc/158610/

[16] Human Rights First. Iverson v. Trump Administration. https://humanrightsfirst.org/iverson-v-trump-administration/

[17] Debusmann, Jr., B. & Walker, A. (2025, February 7). Dozens of countries back International Criminal Court after Trump sanctions. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2p19l24g2o

[18] Coalition for the International Criminal Court. (2025, February 12). Civil society condemns US sanctions against the International Criminal Court. CICC. https://www.coalitionfortheicc.org/news/20250212/civil-society-condemns-us-sanctions-against-international-criminal-court

[19] International Court of Justice. (n.d.). Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel). ICJ. https://www.icj-cij.org/case/192

[20] International Court of Justice. (n.d.). Alleged Breaches of Certain International Obligations in respect of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Nicaragua v. Germany). https://www.icj-cij.org/case/193

[21] International Court of Justice. (n.d.). Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel). ICJ. https://www.icj-cij.org/case/192

[22] UN News. (2024, March 28). Gaza: World court issues fresh measures for Israel as crisis deepens. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1148096

[23] International Court of Justice. (n.d.) Alleged Breaches of Certain International Obligations in respect of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Nicaragua v. Germany). ICJ. https://www.icj-cij.org/case/193

[24] United Nations. (n.d.). UN Security Council Meetings & Outcomes Tables. UN. https://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick

[25] Al Jazeera. (2024, November 20). US vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/20/us-vetoes-un-security-council-resolution-demanding-gaza-ceasefire

[26] Smeltz, D. & El Baz, L. (2025, May 15). Americans Grow More Divided on US Support for Israel. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. https://globalaffairs.org/research/public-opinion-survey/americans-grow-more-divided-us-support-israel

[27] Ahmadi, A. (2025, March 7). Trump pulls $400m from Columbia University, saying it failed to protect Jewish students. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gp979w055o

[28] World Health Organization. (2025, May 12). People in Gaza starving, sick and dying as aid blockade continues. WHO. https://www.who.int/news/item/12-05-2025-people-in-gaza-starving–sick-and-dying-as-aid-blockade-continues

[29] Bennett, T. (2025, May 21). Gaza aid yet to reach civilians, UN says, as pressure grows on Israel. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crk2264nrn2o

[30] World Health Organization. (2025, May 12). People in Gaza starving, sick and dying as aid blockade continues. WHO. https://www.who.int/news/item/12-05-2025-people-in-gaza-starving–sick-and-dying-as-aid-blockade-continues

[31] UNRWA. (2025, May 30). UNRWA Situation Report #173 on the Humanitarian Crisis in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalemhttps://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report-173-situation-gaza-strip-and-west-bank-including-east-jerusalem. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.