Divisions Emerge in Israel's Solid Unity Amidst Global Outcry Over the Alleged Genocide of Residents in Gaza
In recent developments, 147 out of 193 United Nations member states have recognised the State of Palestine, with France and Malta planning to grant formal recognition at the UN General Assembly in September 2025. Canada and the United Kingdom have also expressed their intentions to recognise Palestine, subject to certain conditions. However, Palestine's full UN membership remains blocked primarily due to a U.S. veto in the Security Council in 2024, despite the UN General Assembly passing a resolution in May 2024 recognising Palestine as meeting the criteria for membership and granting it additional UN rights.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to be marked by violence and humanitarian crises, particularly in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has rejected realistic peace scenarios, and the Israeli government is reportedly considering contentious measures such as annexing parts of Gaza, relocating Gaza residents, and establishing a so-called "humanitarian city." These measures have been criticised by many as resembling a concentration camp. The Israeli occupation in the West Bank intensifies with forced displacement, land seizures, and extremist settler violence, while the Israeli Knesset remains opposed to Palestinian statehood moves.
International efforts to address the conflict include diplomatic initiatives seeking peaceful resolution pathways. France and Saudi Arabia co-sponsored a proposed UN resolution aiming for tangible, time-bound, irreversible steps toward a two-state solution, including disarming Hamas and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The recognition of Palestine by key countries such as France, the UK, and Canada is part of a broader strategy to preserve the prospects of a two-state solution amid deteriorating realities on the ground. Meanwhile, countries such as China continue to support Palestinian reconciliation efforts and humanitarian aid programs.
The human rights groups' reports state that Israel has targeted civilians in Gaza over nearly two years of war, causing severe and irreparable damage to Palestinian society. About 75% of United Nations countries recognise Palestine, leaving Israel relatively isolated on the global stage. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is considering a complaint that Israel has breached the Genocide Convention. Some Israeli citizens are concerned that their children in the IDF could be considered war criminals when abroad.
Hostage families and peace activists in Israel want Netanyahu's government to secure a ceasefire with Hamas and free the remaining captives. Motasem Dalloul, a journalist covering the impact of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, lost his family to Israeli attacks in 2024 and was to write a note on life under siege for Outlook's 2024 Anniversary issue 'War and Peace.' Shahina KK wrote about Dr Ghassan Abu Sittah, who became the face of Gaza's resilience in the face of relentless violence, looking back on his experiences and the impact of war on people's well-being.
A survey shows that Israelis, by a narrow margin, see Hamas as primarily to blame for the delay in reaching a deal on freeing the hostages. Only 24% of Israeli Jews are distressed or "very distressed" by the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the UN has flagged a famine and recorded starvation deaths. Two authors, Naveen Kishore and Ghassan Zaqtan, discuss the human cost of war in a separate piece.
Two Israeli human rights groups (B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights) have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel and Netanyahu, with US support, have denounced the case in The Hague. The conflict in Gaza has made headlines across the globe due to starvation. Some right-wing members of Netanyahu's cabinet want to seize the moment to occupy and annex more Palestinian land.
The ICJ is considering a complaint that Israel has breached the Genocide Convention, causing fear among some citizens. An open letter signed by 550 former top diplomats, military officers, and spy chiefs urges US President Donald Trump to tell Netanyahu to focus on a hostage deal. Many Israeli hostage families have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war artificially for political reasons.
Three US allies (France, Britain, and Canada) have agreed to recognise the Palestinian state. Outlook magazine has been covering the Gaza conflict since October 7, 2023, and has published multiple reports and analyses on the situation. Ami Ayalon, former director of the Shin Bet security service, states that the conflict is leading Israel to lose its security and identity. The talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas have stalled.
- The recognition of Palestine by France, the UK, and Canada, as part of a broader strategy to preserve the prospects of a two-state solution, aligns the general news and politics education topics, rallying international efforts in addressing the ongoing food, war-and-conflicts, and crime-and-justice concerns in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza.
- The human rights groups' reports accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza are part of the broader crime-and-justice discourse, causing controversy not only in internal Israeli politics but also in international general news, with some right-wing members advocating contentious measures that raise concerns of injustice and violation of human rights.
