### "Mounting Civilian Casualties Highlight Criticism of Israel's Conduct in Gaza Conflict"

Under the Geneva Conventions, even wars must adhere to certain rules aimed at protecting civilians, despite the inevitable violence between soldiers. Intended to prevent atrocities like those seen during World War Two, these laws apply equally to all sides involved in a conflict.

Israel, which suffered a brutal attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023 resulting in 1,200 Israeli casualties including 800 civilians, continues to face scrutiny over its military actions in Gaza. Accusations have emerged suggesting that Israel's response may involve war crimes, potentially even genocide. This concern is supported by grim statistics from Gaza’s ministry of health, which reports 54,607 Palestinians killed and 125,341 wounded up until early June this year.

Complicating the verification of these figures is Israel's restriction of movement inside Gaza, making independent confirmation difficult. Despite doubts cast by Israel and the US over reports from Gaza's health ministry – controlled by Hamas – these figures are still used by the UN and various foreign diplomats. Historical analyses, like those published in The Lancet, indicate that the actual death toll could be higher due to unaccounted casualties trapped under rubble and those succumbing to untreated medical conditions.

The humanitarian impact on Gaza's children is particularly harrowing. UNICEF reported by January this year that 14,500 Palestinian children had been killed and 17,000 separated from their parents or left orphaned. Gaza now has the highest percentage of child amputees worldwide.

International human rights organizations and legal experts argue that the Israeli military's starvation tactics and blocked aid shipments constitute violations of laws protecting civilians. Criticism has also arisen within Israel, with internal political rivals accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the conflict to maintain his political coalition and delay facing corruption charges.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and other officials have denied deviations from lawful conduct, emphasizing that Israel respects international laws of war. However, Netanyahu's limited appearances and reliance on social media statements have done little to quell the accusations. The comparison he drew between his situation and that of Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer wrongly convicted in a notorious French anti-Semitic scandal, has only heightened tensions.

As the war continues with high civilian casualties and allegations of war crimes, it raises urgent questions about the future and accountability of all involved parties.