ince October 7, 2023, Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has led to the death of more than 53,500 Palestinians and left at least 121,034 wounded, including more than 20,000 children. The unprecedented scale of destruction is seen by critics as evidence of a genocidal war systematically waged by the Zionist regime led by Benjamin Netanyahu. Consequently, entire Palestinian neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble, with Gaza’s hospitals and schools, even refugee camps, targeted with impunity. Thus, critical infrastructure has been decimated. Despite repeated international appeals, aid trucks have been prevented, often delayed, from entering Gaza, hence further aggravating the humanitarian catastrophe. The United Nations has already reported that only a fraction of Gaza’s hospitals remain even partially functional. The death toll continues to rise daily, with Israeli air and ground operations showing no sign of abating.

The Zionist regime’s actions in Gaza are not simply military tactics; they are deeply political, driven by the hyper-nationalist ambitions of Netanyahu. Under increasing pressure from corruption charges and domestic instability, he has used the war as a shield both to prolong his political survival and to avoid judicial accountability. The ongoing war has enabled him to rally the Israeli right-wing forces and delay court proceedings that could otherwise have ended his political career. Even his war cabinet is not interested in making peace with the hapless Palestinians. Ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, both known for their extreme anti-Palestinian positions, have pushed for use of maximum force and further expansion of illegal settlement on Palestinian land. The combination of personal legal troubles and the ultra-nationalist coalition partners and political opportunism have ensured that peace is not on the Zionist regime’s agenda.

The enabling role played by the United States is compounding the tragedy. In strategic terms, the US considers Israel an indispensable ally in the Middle East. This alliance has translated into consistent diplomatic support, billions in military aid and repeated vetoes of UN resolutions calling for ceasefires and investigations into war crimes. The Trump administration, despite rhetorical nods to de-escalation, has continued the longstanding legacy of unflinching support for Israel. Advanced weaponry continues to flow into Israel, even as civilian casualties mount in Gaza. The White House has repeatedly blocked international efforts to hold Israel accountable at the UN and the International Court of Justice. It is to be noted that though American presidents differ in rhetoric, the substance of American Middle East policy remains largely unchanged. For instance, President Donald Trump, in his first term, openly embraced Israeli annexationist policies, unilaterally recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and helped broker the so-called Abraham Accords without addressing the Palestinian question. His current administration has echoed similar positions, reinforcing support for Israel amid the Gaza war.

However, attributing responsibility solely to individual leaders would be an oversimplification. The US foreign policy toward Israel is deeply institutionalised, shaped by enduring strategic interests that transcend the personal convictions of any single administration. This structural continuity underscores a bipartisan alignment that effectively implicates Washington as an active stakeholder, rather than a neutral actor, in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

This complicity is rooted in the dynamics of the American military-industrial complex, which has much to gain from sustained conflict in the Middle East. According to the latest data, the United States accounted for 43 percent of global arms exports between 2020 and 2024 an increase from 39 percent in the previous period. While the largest share of American arms exports during this time went to Europe (35 percent), the Middle East remained a major destination, receiving 33 percent of US arms exports. Saudi Arabia was the top single recipient, accounting for 12 percent of US arms exports during 2020–2024. Qatar (7.7 percent) and Kuwait (4.4 percent) were also among the largest buyers from the US. Israel ranked 11th, receiving 3 percent of American arms exports in the said period.

The question, therefore, is not simply who supports peace in Gaza, but who is willing to challenge the forces — political, economic and ideological — that profit from war.

The US military assistance to Israel continued at high levels, with annual aid packages of $3.8 billion. Additional emergency packages were approved in 2024 and 2025, including advanced air defence systems and munitions. Egypt, too, remained a US military partner, receiving over $23 million in arms and ammunition exports in 2024, despite ongoing concerns about internal repression and its role in the Gaza blockade.

These figures underscore how the global arms trade is shaped by the profit motive and entrenched political interests. The defence industry benefits from ongoing regional conflicts and powerful lobbies help ensure that lucrative arms deals remain a priority for policymakers in the US. Resultantly, the pursuit of peace is often at odds with the economic and political interests embedded in the American policy system.

The UN, which should serve as a bulwark against aggression and advocate for human rights worldwide, has been constrained in the ongoing war in Gaza. Though Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly called for humanitarian ceasefires and unimpeded aid delivery to Gaza, the UN’s structural limitations especially the Security Council veto power held by the permanent five have rendered it ineffective. The United States has consistently used its veto to shield Israel from global censure, joined at times by its European allies. Consequently, the UN resolutions condemning Israel’s actions and/ or calling for investigations into war crimes have been blocked. Thus, the UN, while rhetorically aligned with global peace, lacks the muscle to enforce its decisions. The ongoing genocide in Gaza thus continues under the shadow of international paralysis.

Nonetheless, amidst the continuous death and devastation, especially in Gaza, there is still hope. That comes from the morally courageous voices across the world calling for an end to the genocidal war. Progressive sections of the Western societies have mounted sustained protests in solidarity with Palestinians. In the US, the United Kingdom, Canada and across Europe, tens of thousands have taken to the streets, demanding that their governments stop supporting Israeli war and expansion into the Palestinian territories. Many of the protesters speaking out against the violence in Gaza are Jewish, thus, challenging the common assumption that Zionism speaks for all Jews. Organisations such as Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow have been vocal in asserting that their Jewish identity and values compel them to oppose the ongoing humanitarian crisis. These groups reject the conflation of Jewish identity with support for Israeli government policies, hence emphasising a commitment to justice and human rights.

Within Israel itself, courageous groups such as B’Tselem and Breaking the Silence, along with numerous individual citizens, have publicly condemned the Zionist state’s actions in Gaza. Their statements carry great moral weight, reminding the world that peace is not only achievable but an ethical necessity. These voices have exposed the stark divide between governments complicit in violence and genocide and the many citizens who reject such brutality and demand accountability and justice. Together, these activists and organisations illuminate a path forward rooted in compassion and truth, underscoring that opposition to violence is not just possible it is imperative.

The question, therefore, is not simply who supports peace in Gaza, but who is willing to challenge the forces — political, economic and ideological — that profit from war. As long as Netanyahu’s regime faces no international consequences; as long as the American weapons continue to flood the region; and as long as international institutions remain structurally subservient, regional, if not global, peace would remain elusive. As long as there are people of conscience Palestinian, Israeli and other who refuse to be silent, the hope for a just and lasting peace will also endure.

The writer has a PhD in political science from Heidelberg University and post-doc experience at University of California, Berkeley. He is a DAAD, FDDI and Fulbright fellow and an associate professor at Lahore School of Economics. He can be reached at ejaz.bhatty@gmail.com