By Zarul Effendi Razali
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Two years since Israel began its assault on Gaza, rights groups and international legal experts have described the campaign as a genocide against Palestinians, with the enclave remaining in ruins, tens of thousands dead, entire neighbourhoods flattened, and a humanitarian crisis deepening by the day.
Since the bombardment began on October 7, 2023, the Israeli regime has carried out relentless airstrikes, ground invasions, and a complete blockade of Gaza.
While several Western governments continue to back Israel's right to self-defence, global protests, United Nations (UN) experts, and major human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have accused Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently investigating allegations of genocide in a case brought forward by South Africa in early 2024.
Despite mounting evidence and calls for a ceasefire, diplomatic efforts have thus far failed to halt the bloodshed or deliver sustained humanitarian aid.
According to Anadolu Ajansi, Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million people, for almost 18 years and further tightened the siege in March when it closed border crossings and blocked food and medicine deliveries, pushing the enclave into famine.
Since October 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed more than 66,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children, the Turkish news agency said.
Long-standing resistance to Palestinian statehood
Leading geopolitical expert Prof James Chin from the University of Tasmania said the ongoing conflict underscores a long-standing resistance to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with Israel consistently opposed to any plan that would lead to a viable two-state solution and continuing to rely heavily on the United States to maintain the status quo.
"Israel, particularly under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has made it clear that it does not believe a Palestinian state will be realised in the foreseeable future," he told Bernama.
He said Netanyahu has openly stated that he does not expect a Palestinian state to be established in his lifetime, while the United States, especially during Donald Trump's administration, appeared to pursue Middle East peace more for political optics than sustainable outcomes.
"Trump's approach was shaped largely by domestic considerations. His administration's peace initiatives were seen as a means to project American power and potentially position himself as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize," he said.
Two-state solution and global recognition
Chin said that despite the two-state solution continuing to be discussed in diplomatic circles, only Israel and the United States have the leverage to make it a reality.
"Unfortunately, neither party seems willing to take the necessary steps. For the Palestinians, meaningful progress remains out of reach as long as the current Israeli leadership remains in power and the US maintains its current stance," he said.
Meanwhile, geostrategist Prof Dr Azmi Hassan said the issue of Palestinian statehood has regained international prominence amid renewed global calls for a two-state solution.
As of September 2025, 156 UN member states have recognised Palestine as a state, signalling international sentiment in favour of Palestinian sovereignty, even as key Western powers, including the United States and Israel, continue to withhold formal recognition.
Azmi said the recent recognition of Palestine by several influential countries, including France, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, marks a significant diplomatic shift, as these nations have historically been considered close allies of Israel.
"This recognition is critical. It provides Palestine with stronger diplomatic standing and signals growing discontent with Israel's continued rejection of Palestinian statehood," he said.
Flotilla and Trump’s peace plan
Azmi added that the recent interception of the Gaza Solidarity Flotilla (GSF) by Israeli forces reignited global protests, with demonstrations across North America and Europe showing growing public solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
He said Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan has drawn criticism for failing to include key elements such as guarantees of Palestinian sovereignty or Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
"It resembles a form of political extortion, demanding Hamas surrender without a firm commitment to a sovereign Palestinian state," he said.
Despite the criticism, Anadolu reported that Hamas issued its formal response to Trump’s plan late Friday, approving the release of all Israeli captives, the delivery of the bodies of the deceased, and the handover of Gaza’s administration to an independent technocratic Palestinian body.
As the world marks two years since the war began, Gaza remains a symbol of immense human suffering and political deadlock, a stark reminder that peace and justice for the Palestinian people remain as elusive as ever.
-- BERNAMA
