By Lara Kajs
Dispatches from the Field—The Genocide Report
Washington, D.C—27 December 2024
The conflict in Gaza represents a severe humanitarian and legal crisis. Since October 2023, sustained military operations and blockades have caused mass casualties, disrupted essential services, and obstructed humanitarian aid, highlighting the consequences of non-compliance with international humanitarian law and the urgent need for accountability.
Origins of the Conflict
The current conflict in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas assault against Israel on 7 October 2023, resulting in over 1,100 deaths and the taking of hostages. Israel responded with military operations throughout Gaza. While targeted action against Hamas could have minimized civilian casualties, the scale of the response has resulted in widespread destruction, severe humanitarian impacts, and apparent violations of international law.
Humanitarian Impact
Sixteen months of conflict have caused severe disruption to civilian life in Gaza. Families face persistent displacement, shortages of food, water, and medical supplies, and restricted access to essential services. Constant hostilities and the obstruction of humanitarian aid have intensified risks for civilians, particularly in Northern Gaza.
The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly documented these conditions. Blockades and military operations have directly impeded the delivery of life-saving assistance, including medical evacuations, and have contributed to heightened mortality, disease, and displacement.
The methods employed in Gaza, including obstruction of aid and attacks on civilian infrastructure, demonstrate systematic violations of international law with profound human consequences.”
UN Response and the Gaza Scorecard
On 11 December 2024, during its tenth emergency session, the UN General Assembly passed resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and unhindered access for UNRWA and other humanitarian actors. The resolution emphasized compliance with international law, including the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, while rejecting any alterations to territorial or demographic boundaries.
A consortium of NGOs, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, Save the Children, OXFAM, and CARE, issued The Gaza Scorecard, assessing Israel’s compliance with US and international humanitarian obligations. The Scorecard concluded that Israeli military operations systematically obstructed humanitarian access, contributing to famine conditions affecting approximately 800,000 Palestinians and endangering the civilian population in Northern Gaza.
Northern Gaza Operations
In October 2024, Israeli forces designated Northern Gaza a military zone, ordering evacuations and cutting off humanitarian aid to 200,000 civilians. Obstruction of aid deliveries, attacks on hospitals, and restrictions on medical evacuations exacerbated civilian suffering. Reports indicate that the majority of those affected were women and children.
US diplomatic interventions, including a letter from Secretaries Blinken and Austin on 13 October 2024, highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian situation and requested compliance with prior commitments to facilitate aid. No consequences followed for non-compliance, and the situation has continued to deteriorate, raising serious concerns under US law and international humanitarian obligations.
Legal and Humanitarian Implications
Israeli military actions in Gaza, including obstruction of aid and attacks on civilian infrastructure, constitute violations of international humanitarian law. These actions undermine the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution in armed conflict. Systematic targeting of hospitals, schools, and other civilian facilities may meet the threshold for war crimes.
The denial of access to humanitarian assistance, particularly for vulnerable populations, violates the obligations of occupying powers under the Fourth Geneva Convention and associated customary international law. These violations have resulted in widespread displacement, civilian casualties, and a severe humanitarian crisis.
Cost of War
The human cost of the Gaza conflict is immense. Over 45,000 Palestinians have been killed, 71% of whom are women and children. Critical infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, has been destroyed. More than 333 humanitarian personnel, 141 journalists, and 500 healthcare workers have been killed. The prolonged conflict has disrupted social, economic, and healthcare systems, leaving civilians highly vulnerable.
Atrocity Prevention Lens
The Gaza crisis demonstrates high-risk indicators for mass atrocity crimes, including deliberate targeting of civilian populations, obstruction of humanitarian aid, and disproportionate force. Prevention strategies require immediate enforcement of international law, monitoring of humanitarian access, accountability for violations, and multilateral engagement to reduce civilian harm and protect vulnerable populations.
Legal Framework
International Humanitarian Law
The Fourth Geneva Convention protects civilians in occupied territories. Deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure, obstruction of aid, and forced displacement constitute serious violations. Customary international law and UN resolutions reinforce these protections and provide mechanisms for accountability.
Accountability and War Crimes
International law obliges all parties to uphold distinction, proportionality, and precaution in military operations. Systematic attacks on civilians or infrastructure essential to survival may constitute war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
US Legal Obligations
US law, including the Foreign Assistance Act and National Security Memorandum 620, requires that recipients of military aid permit the delivery of US-supported humanitarian assistance. Failure to comply may trigger legal consequences, which have not been enforced in this context.
Suggested Citation:
Kajs, Lara. “Cost of War in Gaza: Humanitarian and Legal Implications.” Dispatches from the Field. The Genocide Report, 27 Dec. 2024, Washington, DC.
Photo Credit: Al Quds Hospital, Gaza City, following Israeli shelling, by ISM Palestine. Licensed under CC BY SA 2.0
About TGR
The Genocide Report (TGR) publishes analysis and educational resources on conflict, international law, and atrocity prevention. Its work seeks to bridge academic research, field realities, and public understanding of mass violence and civilian protection.
About the Author
Lara Kajs is the founder and executive director of The Genocide Report, a Washington, DC-based educational nonprofit focused on atrocity prevention and international law. She is the author of several field-based books on conflict, displacement, humanitarian crises, and international humanitarian law, drawing on extensive research and field experience in Yemen, Syria, and Afghanistan. Her writing and public speaking focus on atrocity crimes, forced displacement, the protection of civilians, and the legal frameworks governing armed conflict.