The Gaza Tribunal convened in Istanbul this week, bringing together leading legal scholars, human rights advocates, and global intellectuals to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Central to the proceedings was a strong appeal for expeditious, decisive measures to stop what Tribunal President Richard Falk described as “the most lethal phase of genocide” underway, following Israel’s Security Cabinet’s August decision to escalate its military campaign in Gaza City where approximately one million displaced Palestinians now shelter.
Escalation of Violence and Humanitarian Emergency
As reported by Ayşe Karaköse of Daily Sabah, the Tribunal’s emergency news conference highlighted
“Israel’s Aug. 7 National Security Cabinet decision to advance its offensive on Gaza City”
a decision opposed by Israel’s own military high command—which has left nearly one million Palestinians seeking refuge from intensified military incursions. Richard Falk, Tribunal President and Emeritus Professor of International Law at Princeton, argued at the event,
“Failure to act at this juncture would represent a historic failure of humanity.”
He insisted that the time for moderate diplomatic efforts
had now passed, with armed intervention as the only possible path to prevent
further catastrophe.
During the press briefing, Falk stated:
“If we do not take action of a serious and drastic kind at this time, anything done in a more moderate fashion will be too late, too late to save the surviving people who have already been traumatized by more than 22 months of genocide.”As reported by Anadolu Agency.
A Call for UN General Assembly Action
Falk called on world governments not to wait for consensus within the United Nations Security Council, but to empower the General Assembly to authorise armed intervention without delay, emphasising precedents such as the 1950 Uniting for Peace Resolution and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) framework from the 2005 UN Summit. The Tribunal’s statement,
“Time to ACT: Mobilising Against Israel’s Planned Conquest of Gaza City and Central Gaza,”
underlined the need to bypass traditional roadblocks to stop what it defines as
“ongoing genocide.” Falk and his colleagues cited the systematic failure of
international and national mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable over the
past two years.
Failure of International Institutions
Taha Ayhan, President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum
(ICYF), was quoted at the event by Daily Sabah, asserting:
“International institutions, states and political mechanisms have proven inadequate in preventing this genocide and holding those responsible accountable over the past two years. Addressing this gap is precisely the purpose of our tribunal.”Ayşe Karaköse, Daily Sabah.
Ayhan further explained the Tribunal’s framework, noting
that the “responsibility to protect” principle had previously been applied in contexts
such as Libya and Kosovo, and highlighted growing international support,
especially recognising statements by France, the UK, Spain, and Ireland in
backing a protective stance for Palestine and Gaza.
Systematic Suppression and Targeting of Journalists
Falk condemned what he described as “systematic efforts to suppress truth,” specifically referencing the “Aug. 10 assassination of Assas al-Shafir and his Al Jazeera colleagues”—an incident described as another deliberate attempt to silence those exposing reality on the ground. Data compiled by local authorities shows that at least 238 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the late 2023 escalation, with global press freedom organisations classifying many of these deaths as war crimes.
Türkiye’s Condemnation
Türkiye has emerged as a leading supporter of the Tribunal and its mission. The Turkish Foreign Ministry denounced Israel’s expansion of operations as
“a new phase in Tel Aviv’s expansionist and genocidal policy,”
and urged the UN Security Council to enact binding resolutions. The statement also called for an immediate ceasefire and the initiation of two-state solution negotiations, warning that the plan
“seeks to render Gaza uninhabitable and forcibly displace Palestinians from their own land”.
Ayhan, cited by Daily Sabah, commented:
“Türkiye’s stance in support of rights and justice is an important part of this process. That is why we are hosting this event impartially in Istanbul. Türkiye’s approach can influence the majority in favour of Gaza in the UN General Assembly, possibly leading to protective intervention.”Ayşe Karaköse, Daily Sabah.
Wider International Response
Protests and memorial vigils have erupted globally following
the tribunal’s statements and recent violence against journalists.
Demonstrations were held from Ramallah and Tunisia to Washington, DC, Berlin,
and Belfast, reflecting widespread outrage and supporting calls for
accountability and the lifting of reporting bans. The United Nations and
several national journalist bodies demanded independent investigations and
condemned what was described as “targeted killings” of Palestinian media
professionals.
Tribunal Roadmap: Accountability and Reform
Upcoming Steps and Hearings
The Tribunal announced plans to present the case at the
upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York next month, with a major final
hearing to follow in Istanbul in October 2025. Falk outlined the Tribunal’s
goals:
- Hold
thorough reviews of evidence, testimonies, and legal findings
- Publish
detailed reports serving as legal and moral reference
- Mobilise
global public opinion through awareness campaigns
- Advocate
for UN structural reforms and early warning systems against genocide.
Warnings of Greater Humanitarian Crisis
Falk described the scale of destruction:
“Much of the population has been displaced and 85% of residential buildings have been destroyed. People have no homes, limited access to clean water and must endure extreme weather. This is pushing the population far below subsistence level.”
He warned of unpredictable outcomes for human development as a result of
constant military pressure, while urging for an extension of arms embargoes to
prevent violence from spreading regionally.
Stance of the International Criminal Court and United Nations
Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, while Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ, as reported by the International Commission of Jurists, warned that a military occupation of Gaza City would
“[lead] to the forcible transfer of its civilian population, around one million inhabitants, to a devastating toll on civilian life, and to further extensive destruction, entailing the commission of additional war crimes and crimes against humanity”.
Moving Forward: Tribunal Vision and Faith in Global Activism
Speaking to Anadolu after the conference, Falk explained:
“The real underlying faith of this kind of tribunal is in people, not in governments. Mobilising popular activism can shift the political atmosphere, making international protection for Gaza a realistic goal.”
Anadolu Agency.