A group of leading scholars, legal experts, and human rights defenders are urging the United Nations to form an international military force to stop Israel’s devastating war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

At a press conference in Istanbul, Richard Falk — the president of the Gaza Tribunal Project and a former UN special rapporteur — said the global legal system had failed Palestinians. “Law has failed because it has not been enforced,” Falk declared, calling for the world to act under the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle, which was designed to prevent crimes like genocide and ethnic cleansing.

R2P, created after the horrors of Rwanda and the Balkans, was unanimously adopted by world leaders in 2005. It’s been cited in more than 95 UN Security Council resolutions — including interventions in Libya, Syria, and South Sudan — but rarely with meaningful enforcement.

This time, the Tribunal is asking the UN General Assembly to invoke the Uniting for Peace resolution (377(V)) — a measure that allows the Assembly to act when the Security Council is blocked by veto powers. It would authorize a multinational force to protect Gaza’s civilians until Israel withdraws, lifts its blockade, and allows humanitarian aid to flow freely. The plan also calls for internationally monitored elections once conditions stabilize.

“The Deadliest Phase Yet”

Falk welcomed the growing recognition of Palestinian statehood by countries like France, Australia, and Canada, but warned that symbolic gestures aren’t enough. He criticized governments that continue arming Israel while claiming to support peace. “It’s distressing to see words without consequences,” he said, noting that the absence of internal political pressure inside Israel gives Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government a free hand.

The Gaza Tribunal — established in late 2024 — was born out of what its members called “the total failure of the organized international community to uphold International Humanitarian Law in Gaza.” Its panel includes figures like Hilal Elver, Penny Green, Michael Lynk, Cornel West, Naomi Klein, and Jeremy Corbyn.

In its latest report, the Tribunal described Israel’s invasion of Gaza City and the central region as “the deadliest phase” of the war — one that places nearly a million civilians in immediate danger. It warned that full occupation would push Gaza into “unprecedented famine” and total humanitarian collapse.

Since October 2023, Israel’s relentless bombardment has displaced Gaza’s 2.3 million residents multiple times and killed more than 60,000 people — the vast majority women and children. Despite brief ceasefires, the war resumed in March 2025 after Israel pulled out of negotiations and restarted its assault.

The Tribunal’s statement frames Gaza’s suffering as not just a humanitarian crisis but a test of International justice. It calls for accountability under Crimes Against Humanity and for urgent protection of civilians under Human rights violations Gaza.

Voices From the Ground

While political leaders debate resolutions, life inside Gaza continues to unravel. In the Nuseirat refugee camp, families line up for hours at food distribution centers, waiting for cooked meals under sweltering heat. Parents whisper prayers while clutching their children’s hands, not knowing if they’ll make it through another night of bombings.

These are the moments recorded in Eyewitness Testimonies and Gaza Tribunal Reports, building a growing archive of lived truth — from Forensic Investigations to War Crimes Documentation. Every story strengthens the call for action.

“Law Without Action Is an Empty Promise”

The Tribunal’s demand for a UN force isn’t just a legal plea — it’s a moral one. It echoes what many around the world already feel: that words without accountability mean nothing. “If we believe in law,” Falk said, “then it must protect those who have no power.”

His words reflect a deeper truth. Justice cannot exist only in resolutions and documents. It has to live where people bleed, starve, and endure.

And right now, that place is Gaza.