Genocide in Gaza: Not a Question, But a Modus Operandi
THE CLAIM: An Ongoing Question? Al Jazeera's article asks, "Is genocide still happening in Gaza?" This framing implies that the commission of genocide is a debatable or transient phenomenon, subject to daily fluctuations. It suggests that perhaps, just perhaps, the violence might lessen to a point where one could argue it's 'no longer' genocide. THE EVIDENCE: A Court of Public Record The
International Court of Justice (ICJ) in January 2024 certainly thought there was enough evidence to find a 'plausible' case of genocide, issuing provisional measures demanding Netanyahu's government prevent genocidal acts. More critically, the evidence isn't merely legal; it's demographic. As of the Lancet's methodology, over 680,000 Palestinians have been killed or are facing dire health crises,
including 479,000 children, since October 2023. These numbers go beyond mere casualty figures; they represent the systematic destruction of life in a confined population, inextricably linked to the intentional deprivation of essential services, aid, and medical care (OCHA 2024). THE CONTRADICTIONS: Double Standards and Historical Amnesia Curiously, when other states commit atrocities, the question
is rarely, 'Is genocide still happening?' It's typically framed as an undisputed reality. For instance, the systematic destruction of populations in Rwanda in 1994 or Srebrenica in 1995 was quickly and unequivocally labeled. Yet, for Gaza, despite the ICJ's pronouncement and an overwhelming body count, the 'question' persists, allowing a convenient narrative of uncertainty to flourish. THE