Netanyahu’s 602 days of war against the Palestinians: the World has to stop this Genocide. Is he the most powerful person in the World?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised that the military’s October 7, 2023, attack in Gaza will be a short and decisive operation. Many believed this would be a brief and focused military response to Hamas’ surprise attack, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,100 Israelis and injuries to hundreds more, drawing parallels to the renowned 1967 Six-Day War. However, a military campaign that was supposed to end in less than a week has now lasted over 600 days, making it one of the most destructive and drawn-out in the history of the area. Many people worldwide are wondering if the world has failed to stop genocide in light of the daily pictures of Palestinian agony, destroyed cities, and growing civilian casualties. Has Netanyahu gained an unquestionable, even dominant, status on the global stage?

The Endless War

Israel’s most recent war in Gaza has been going on for more than 600 days as of May 30, 2025. There have been over 50,000 Palestinian deaths, with women and children accounting for more than 72% of the total, according to data issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. An estimated 1.7 million of Gaza’s 2.2 million inhabitants have been displaced, and another 90,000 people have been injured, according to UNRWA. Basic facilities like water treatment facilities, schools, and hospitals are in ruins. Gaza is currently a humanitarian disaster area after earlier being heavily inhabited and experiencing economic hardship. Even as international condemnation grew, Netanyahu reiterated his resolve to complete military triumph in March 2024 when he said, “We will not stop until Hamas is eliminated.” According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 97 individuals, including 13 patients, are still at the al-Awda Hospital, a “lifeline” in northern Gaza, which Israel has ordered to be closed. A trip to move the patients to a different facility is scheduled for Friday by the United Nations agency.

Global Inaction and Complicity?

The insufficient response from the international community is among the conflict’s most unsettling features. The United States, Israel’s closest friend, was the most notable to veto several ceasefire resolutions that were put out at the UN Security Council. The Council finally passed a resolution in March 2024 that called for an “immediate and sustained ceasefire” following weeks of delays and diplomatic squabbling. Enforcement, however, has been nonexistent. Netanyahu was charged with war crimes in May 2025 by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for him. The charges included collective punishment, starvation brought on by blockades, and intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure. But the warrant has not been executed in any Western country. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel all rejected the ruling, claiming it was politically motivated. This begs the important question: why has the world done nothing to prevent a conflict that is becoming more and more like genocide?

Is Netanyahu Supreme?

Israel’s longest-serving prime leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has become a formidable political force both at home and abroad. He has stayed in power, frequently citing the war as a political shield, in spite of massive domestic protests against his wartime rulings and judicial reforms. War rhetoric continues to influence public opinion, as seen by a study conducted in April 2025 by the Israel Democracy Institute, which found that 53% of Israelis think the war must go on until Hamas is destroyed. Netanyahu has a tremendous impact on world politics. Other leaders who are accused of war crimes, such as Omar al-Bashir of Sudan or Vladimir Putin of Russia, frequently find themselves isolated, but Netanyahu is still supported diplomatically, militarily, and economically. The U.S. Congress authorised $14.3 billion in emergency military aid to Israel in 2024 alone, which included air defence equipment and precision bombs. Citing Israel’s right to self-defence, Germany and the United Kingdom also kept selling weapons. Many observers have questioned if Netanyahu now transgresses international law as a result of his steadfast support. The topic of dominance is more than simply hyperbole as the ICC arrest warrant is still pending and Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe worsens; it is a reflection of a geopolitical imbalance in which the application of justice is extremely selective.

Genocide by Any Other Name?

There has been much discussion on the term “genocide” in connection with the battle in Gaza. Genocide is defined by the UN Genocide Convention as acts carried out with the purpose of eradicating a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, either completely or in part. South Africa accused Israel of genocide in a case submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in January 2024. Although the court has not rendered a final decision, its preliminary decisions mandated that Israel stop acts of genocide and guarantee the flow of humanitarian supplies into Gaza, two requirements that have mostly gone unfulfilled. Human rights groups like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have accumulated records that indicate intentional blocking of relief, the use of white phosphorous, and the systematic destruction of civilian areas. Half of Gaza’s population is experiencing famine-like circumstances as a direct result of the blockade and bombing campaign, according to a March 2025 World Food Programme study. Many contend that if this isn’t genocide, what else might it be?

The Price of Impunity

Any lingering doubts about the international system’s capacity to uphold accountability and provide unbiased protection for civilians have been dashed by the ongoing battle in Gaza. The “rules-based international order” has been a pillar of Western foreign policy discourse for many years. However, these laws appear to be suspended in Gaza. The same nations that hold Russia accountable in Ukraine now seem unconcerned with comparable, if not greater, crimes in Palestine. This hypocrisy is best illustrated by the instance of Netanyahu. His capacity to fight a protracted war with no real repercussions sets a risky precedent. The idea of international justice itself starts to fall apart if a leader can reject the ICC, disobey the UN, and disregard international law while still receiving diplomatic and military support.

Conclusion

The so-called short-term operation in Gaza has been going on for more than 600 days. Global action is shamefully insufficient, the death toll is unrelenting, and the extent of the destruction is astounding. Loyal allies and a divided international community support Benjamin Netanyahu’s continued consolidation of power and influence, despite his lack of accountability. Whether or not he is considered “supreme” in the world, the truth remains that a modern war of attrition has been waged under his leadership, and the world has hardly done anything to stop it. Gaza’s tragedy is a test of the world’s morality, and mankind has failed thus far. It is more than merely a humanitarian crisis.

Dr Syed Mohammad Raghib did his PhD on “Iran and Palestine Question, 1979-2013” from JNU, and currently working as a research officer at IIPA, New Delhi. The idea is personnel.