ICSPR: New Investigation Reveals Unprecedented UN Failure to Protect Civilians in Gaza After Two Years of Genocide

Date: November 18, 2025

Press Release

ICSPR: New Investigation Reveals Unprecedented UN Failure to Protect Civilians in Gaza After Two Years of Genocide

The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) has issued an extensive human rights investigation titled “Genocide and Its Course After International Recognition of Palestine: The Collapse of the UN Protection System in Gaza,” prepared by researcher Lubna Dheeb. The investigation highlights one of the most alarming examples of contemporary international failure in protecting Palestinian civilians during two consecutive years of ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip. It documents the escalating trajectory of the crimes committed, alongside a comprehensive analysis of international shortcomings and the absence of any effective UN action to protect civilians and halt the catastrophic collapse that has affected all aspects of life.

The investigation indicates that the Gaza Strip, over the past two years, has turned into an open arena for severe and systematic violations of international humanitarian law and human rights norms. Civilians have been subjected to extreme levels of violence, direct targeting, and collective punishment, under a suffocating blockade and a deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, coupled with the widespread targeting of vital infrastructure. This has resulted in the total or near-total destruction of hospitals, homes, schools, shelters, and essential facilities necessary for civilian survival. The investigation affirms that such systematic targeting cannot be seen as a mere consequence of military operations, but rather as a deliberate policy that meets the legal criteria for genocide, especially given the clear intent to inflict collective harm and cause widespread destruction among the civilian population.

The report documents that hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced multiple times, moving between shelters that lack the minimum requirements for human survival. Families in these shelters suffer from the absence of clean water, collapsed sewage systems, a near-total lack of basic services, the spread of infectious diseases, rising malnutrition, and worsening psychological trauma, particularly among children who live under constant fear and shock. The investigation asserts that these inhumane conditions inside shelters constitute a blatant violation of the rights to life, dignity, and safe living.

The report details the complete collapse of the health system in Gaza, where hospitals have been destroyed or forced out of service, medical teams have been targeted, and entry of medicine and fuel has been blocked. Thousands of wounded individuals have been denied life-saving treatment, leading to increased mortality among the injured and among patients with chronic illnesses. The investigation notes that preventing the entry of essential medical equipment and supplies has turned the few remaining operational hospitals into overwhelmed spaces incapable of managing the scale of injuries. This has taken place amid electricity outages and the accumulation of medical waste, increasing the risk of epidemics and water contamination.

The investigation provides detailed documentation of the environmental destruction caused by relentless bombardment, which has led to hazardous pollutants seeping into the soil and groundwater, as well as widespread debris that threatens public health and food security. The shutdown of desalination and wastewater treatment plants has polluted the sea and coastal areas, creating long-term environmental damage that may take years to repair.

Legally, the investigation addresses the deteriorating role of the international system, confirming that the United Nations, with all its bodies and agencies, has failed to take any concrete measures to enforce international law or protect civilians. Despite daily reports documenting violations and despite binding orders issued by the International Court of Justice calling for halting the crimes and adopting preventive measures, the United Nations has failed to enforce any implementation mechanisms or ensure Israel’s compliance. The investigation describes this failure as one of the most significant institutional collapses in the UN’s history.

The report stresses that the UN Security Council has proven unable to issue a resolution compelling a cessation of hostilities or providing international protection to civilians due to political obstruction and veto power. This has undermined the Council’s role and rendered it incapable of addressing one of the most severe humanitarian crises of modern times. The investigation concludes that this paralysis effectively provided cover for continued crimes, especially as influential states refrained from taking steps such as imposing sanctions, enacting restrictive measures, or establishing an arms embargo.

The investigation concludes that through hesitation, silence, and the absence of decisive action, the international community has allowed the culture of impunity to expand and enabled the continuation of atrocities for more than two years without accountability or deterrence. ICSPR affirms that the continuation of the current situation is not only a humanitarian disaster but also a direct threat to the international system itself, undermining the principles of justice, accountability, and human rights.

In its concluding remarks, ICSPR calls for urgent measures, including an immediate cessation of military operations, a complete lifting of the blockade, the opening of safe humanitarian corridors, unrestricted delivery of aid, the provision of international protection for civilians, and the initiation of an independent and comprehensive international investigation to hold perpetrators accountable. The organization also calls for the imposition of binding measures on states to ensure such a catastrophe does not recur.

ICSPR emphasizes that reconstructing Gaza and ensuring a dignified life for its population require responsible international will and a commitment to implementing international law without selectivity or double standards. Protecting civilians in Gaza, the organization stresses, is a critical test for the credibility of the international community and the United Nations.

To view the full paper, click here.