Jill Goldenziel, Columnist

International Law Is Failing Displaced Gazans

Even if Israel always meets the letter of the law of war, the laws are insufficient.

December 11, 2023 at 5:00 AM UTC

Jill Goldenziel is a professor of international and constitutional law at the National Defense University-College of Information and Cyberspace and a nonresident fellow at the NATO SHAPE/ACO Office of Legal Affairs.

Nowhere to go.
Photographer: Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

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When the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas ended on Dec. 1, 1.8 million Gazans had been displaced by the war — about 80% of Gaza’s population. Many fled from northern to southern Gaza after Israel issued a warning about military operations in the north. Last week, Israel began a ground offensive into southern Gaza, disturbing what safety residents of Gaza had left and compounding a dire humanitarian crisis.

Many have blamed Israel for not following international law regarding forced displacement of civilians. However, international law is part of the problem.