"The international legal order is collapsing in the face of atrocities in the Gaza Strip," a group of independent UN human rights experts said on Thursday.

The experts said in a statement, marking a year since the war of extermination against our people, that last year witnessed genocidal attacks, ethnic cleansing and collective punishment of the Palestinians, which threatens the collapse of the multilateral international system.

“Nearly all of the survivors of displacement are trapped in ever-shrinking parts of the small area, crammed into overcrowded camps and shelters with nowhere to escape. The relentless bombardment has turned humanitarian areas into killing fields,” they continued.

“The tightened blockade, restrictions on aid and the continued targeting of homes and key civilian infrastructure have led to famine at an unprecedented rate. The destruction of health infrastructure has made preventable diseases incurable and has accelerated the spread of disease and epidemics, while the massive destruction of educational, cultural and heritage institutions and the land itself is profoundly endangering Palestinian culture, national identity and existence on the ground,” the experts added.

Experts warn of a deliberate pattern of behaviour that threatens the extinction of Palestinians, through mass displacement, death, destruction and annexation of land emerging in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, while the world watches the people of Gaza live in constant terror of impending annihilation, broadcast and shared on social media.

“Nothing can justify these actions,” the experts said. “For a year, we have called on States to intervene, in line with their moral and legal obligations, to prevent these atrocities and uphold the international legal order, human rights and humanity. But our calls have gone unheeded, along with those of millions of people around the world who have used their platforms to advocate for an end to the violence, and who continue to face repressive tactics to silence and punish their voices, in a number of countries.”

They stressed that “this cycle of destruction must end. The international community must act with the utmost urgency to change the course of violence if we are to avoid an all-out war with unimaginable consequences, especially for children.”

They called on “all leaders to move beyond dehumanizing and polarizing narratives, and work actively towards an immediate cessation of all hostilities and crimes.”

They stressed that the failure of the international community to secure a ceasefire and hold accountable all those responsible for or complicit in the heinous crimes, not only allowed the unprecedented brutality to continue, but also extended it to the wider region, igniting Lebanon with violence and destruction.

They called for immediate provision of life-saving humanitarian assistance to all those affected, and for the international community to ensure this access.

They called for prioritizing respect for international law and human rights without discrimination or double standards, quickly directing the moral compass towards justice and freedom for all, and renewing the commitment to international peace, which will not be achieved until everyone has the opportunity to live in equal dignity and freedom.