The 2025 Gaza Ceasefire, a deal between Israel and Hamas, came into effect on January 17th, a negotiation in which hostages would be exchanged, Israeli forces would withdraw from the Gaza Strip, and Palestinians would receive necessary aid. However, since the beginning of the implementation of this ceasefire, Israel has consistently violated the agreement by killing Palestinians and halting aid to Gaza. This week, their insurgencies against the Palestinian people dramatically increased, marking one of the deadliest weeks since October 2023. In response, Hamas announced that it would not release any more American-Israeli hostages until Israel implements its ceasefire agreement. However, it is unlikely that Israel will suspend hostilities given Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement earlier this week, in which he said that “it was “only the beginning” and the military issued new evacuation orders to traumatized and repeatedly displaced Palestinians,” according to the Guardian.

Over the last week, according to The Cradle Journal, Israel has committed over 1,000 violations of the ceasefire agreement; these acts of aggression are war crimes. As stated by the I.R.C., “Violations of ceasefires, particularly those involving direct attacks on civilians, can constitute serious breaches of international humanitarian law and may be prosecuted as war crimes.” This would not be the first time the Israeli government and President Netanyahu have been charged with war crimes, to the extent that the International Criminal Court warranted an arrest of Netanyahu on November 14th, 2024.

However, despite the repercussions the Israeli government has faced for its actions against the Palestinians, Netanyahu remains a free man. Just this week the Guardian claimed that “Horror is piling upon horror. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed since the war began, and the numbers grew even during the ceasefire, many due to Israel’s blocking of aid.” And he predicts this will continue, as it has throughout history. Most people do not recognize that Israel was only established in 1948. Backed by international assets after World War II, Israelis began forcing Palestinians to leave their homes, to which they would never return. Before this declaration, Palestinians had lived and thrived in this region for thousands of years, offering refuge to Jewish populations. The Palestinians would be thanked with continuous persecution, bombing, imprisonment, and political attacks at the hands of the Israeli government in order to suppress the people and prevent an uprising and a possible return of the Palestinian people to their homeland. It is imperative that we recognize the numerous human rights violations committed throughout the duration of this conflict. Commitment to human rights and sovereignty should transcend political allegiances, as these universal principles safeguard the dignity and well-being of every person. If we continue to fail to adhere to these universal principles, the harmful reproductions will transcend in every society, in which governments have the power to eradicate ethnicities and displace peoples.

The international community, including governments, non-governmental organizations, and individuals, has a crucial role to play in advocating for the protection of human rights in this conflict. By holding all parties accountable and working towards a just and lasting resolution, we can pave the way for a future where the rights and dignity of all individuals in this region are respected and protected.