By Qamar Bashir
In the annals of modern conflict, Gaza has become the epicenter of a humanitarian catastrophe so deliberate, so brutal, that it no longer shocks — it scars. What is unfolding is not war. It is genocide: systematic, intentional, and aimed at the total destruction of a people — biologically, psychologically, and territorially.
British surgeon Professor Nick Maynard, recently returned from Gaza, described the horror with surgical precision: “One day they have bullet wounds in the legs, the next day in the chest, and then the genitals.” In an emotional interview on Good Morning Britain, he recounted how Israeli forces even confiscated baby formula from his pocket, fearing it might reach Palestinian infants. His testimony is echoed by Doctors Without Borders and the World Health Organization, who have reported waves of targeted injuries, traumatic amputations, and sterilization patterns among young boys — unmistakable markers of war crimes.
According to UNICEF, more than 13,000 children have been killed and 17,000 orphaned since October 2023. The World Food Programme estimates over 90% of Gaza’s population faces catastrophic food insecurity. Infants are dying of hunger. Children are drinking contaminated water. Mothers are giving birth in rubble with no painkillers or antiseptics.
In a bid to whitewash this horror, Israeli officials peddle the narrative that Hamas is stealing aid, selling it on the black market, or using starving civilians as human shields. These claims have been categorically denied by UNRWA, humanitarian NGOs, and even foreign observers operating under tight Israeli and U.S. surveillance. If Hamas truly controlled the aid flow under such intense scrutiny, it would reflect a total failure of Israeli and American military management — or more likely, it exposes the narrative as a calculated deflection.
Despite the mounting body count and overwhelming global condemnation, the killings continue. Schools, hospitals, libraries, water plants — nothing is spared. Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights, labeled Israel’s conduct “a textbook case of genocide.” Her detailed report, The Anatomy of a Genocide, outlined the use of starvation, cultural erasure, and mass sterilization. In return, she was sanctioned by the United States, further demonstrating how Washington has become not just a bystander — but an enabler.
Yet around the world, momentum is shifting. In May, France declared recognition of the State of Palestine, followed swiftly by Spain, Ireland, Norway, and Slovenia. Today, over 140 nations formally recognize Palestine. In the UK, more than 100 Members of Parliament have signed a letter demanding their government do the same, alongside supporting tangible actions to stop Israel’s war machine.
Even in the United States, the tide is turning. A recent Gallup poll shows support for Israel among Americans has dropped below 50% for the first time in decades. Particularly among younger Americans, there is outrage over the use of U.S. tax dollars to fund indiscriminate bombings of civilians, hospitals, mosques, schools, and refugee camps. The American people are demanding answers. Why are their weapons — including bunker-buster bombs — being used to massacre women and children? What accountability exists for a foreign ally accused of crimes against humanity?
Yet this raises a central dilemma: Even if the entire international community, including the UN Security Council, agrees to deploy peacekeepers in Gaza — a single U.S. veto can block it all. The United States holds permanent veto power. And history shows it has used this power consistently to shield Israel from international scrutiny, resolutions, and accountability.
This is the elephant in the room. The question now is not whether UN peacekeepers are necessary. That case is undeniable. The real question is: What will it take for the U.S. leadership to finally say — enough is enough?
What point of horror, what threshold of death and starvation, what loss of moral standing will convince Washington that continued blind support for Israel is not only unjustifiable — it is suicidal for American credibility? The United States, once considered the global guardian of freedom, democracy, and human rights, now faces a new perception: that of co-conspirator in ethnic cleansing, financier of genocide, and obstructionist of peace.
The irony is cruel. The nation that prides itself on defending human dignity is now seen globally as the state bankrolling one of the 21st century’s worst atrocities.
If Washington genuinely wishes to restore its moral leadership, it must reset its mindset. Supporting Israel unconditionally no longer guarantees peace — it guarantees continued war. Israel will not be peaceful until it is reined in. Gaza will not recover until the killing stops. And the world cannot assist in rebuilding until the bombs stop falling.
Regional powers now threaten escalation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has declared that Turkey may intervene militarily if the Gaza massacre continues, comparing Israel’s actions to Nazi crimes. He has suspended arms exports to Israel and frozen defense cooperation.
Simultaneously, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has issued stern warnings that further Israeli aggression could destabilize the entire region. Egypt, while not threatening force directly, has tightened its grip on the Rafah crossing and coordinated a new ceasefire proposal with U.S. backing. These are no longer symbolic gestures — they are warnings of regional war.
Despite these signals, the UN remains paralyzed. Calls for deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping force in Gaza and the West Bank grow louder by the day. The precedent exists — Bosnia, Rwanda, Congo, South Sudan. Under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Security Council has the authority to act where there is a threat to peace, a breach of peace, or acts of aggression.
Israel’s campaign satisfies all three. But unless the United States abstains — or supports such a resolution — no force will ever reach Gaza. And so the world watches, powerless, as its own institutions are neutered by one member state’s political fear and moral blindness.
Still, there is a path forward. If the Trump administration — or any future U.S. leadership — truly believes in the principles upon which America was built, then now is the moment to act. Not with words. Not with concern. But with decisive action. Suspend military aid. Support the peacekeeping resolution. Demand accountability.
Only one decision is needed to change the trajectory of this genocide: for the United States to say, “No more.” That single shift — a halt in funding and a vote for peace — would send a shockwave through the Israeli leadership and open the path for healing in Palestine.
What’s at stake is more than Gaza. It is the soul of the international order. It is the credibility of the United Nations. And it is the moral standing of the United States. If America fails now, it may never again be trusted to defend human rights anywhere. If we fail now, we will not just be witnesses to genocide. We will be remembered as its sponsors. If we fail now, we will be remembered not for what we said, but for what we allowed.
By Qamar Bashir
Press Secretary to the President (Rtd)
Former Press Minister, Embassy of Pakistan to France
Former MD, SRBC | Macomb, Michigan, USA
