Following the attack on Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, Israel declared war on the Gaza Strip. In the relentless and nonstop bombardment of the Gaza Strip, about 40,000 Palestinian civilians have lost their lives, the majority of whom were children and women. Additionally, more than 92,000 Palestinians have been injured and many more are still missing or under the rubble. The dire situation in the Gaza Strip requires a firm stand from the international community, as what is happening to the Palestinian people is nothing short of genocide. This paper discusses Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip and illustrates how these actions meet the criteria for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. It also discusses the case filed by South Africa against Israel in the International Court of Justice, alleging that Israel has violated the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

I. Introduction
II. Israel’s War Crimes under the Rome Statute and theFourth Geneva Convention
    A. The Rome Statute and Israel’s War Crimes
    B. Violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention
    C. Israel’s Violation of Three Principles of International Humanitarian Law
III. Crimes Against Humanity in Gaza
    A. Objective Elements of Crimes Against Humanity
    B. Subjective Elements of Crimes Against Humanity
IV. The Genocide in Gaza
V. South Africa’s Genocide Case against Israel:An Analysis
VI. Conclusion

• Mariam Bin Ghaith(Assistant Professor of International Law at Kuwait University College of Law. LL.B. (Kuwait U.), LL.M., SJD (American U.))