A year on, diplomacy falters, faces new challenges in face of Gaza attacks

In the wake of Israel's assaults on Gaza, public perception of international organizations and diplomacy has undergone a profound transformation, predominantly driven by the latter's perceived impotence in curtailing civilian casualties.

As the war in Gaza, ignited by Hamas' offensive on Oct. 7, 2023, approaches its one-year milestone, approximately 42,000 civilians were killed in Israeli bombardments over the past 12 months.

Earlier in the conflict, statements of condemnation and calls for restraint from international entities dominated headlines, capturing the public's attention. However, as time has progressed, these diplomatic overtures have been increasingly dismissed as ineffectual and defined as toothless gestures.

Diplomacy, particularly in relation to the Palestinian enclave's enduring conflict, has evolved, now facing a host of unresolved, intractable dilemmas, with the United Nations and its Security Council emerging as focal points of criticism.

The dysfunction of the U.N. Security Council has become glaringly evident, as it remains incapable of forging a consensus to address some of the world's most urgent crises. Permanent members like the US, China, and Russia routinely leverage their veto power to stifle action. During this period, the Security Council failed to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. In December, it adopted a resolution calling for more humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, though two earlier proposals were vetoed by the U.S. in support of Israel.

"The United Nations and its various arms are in a state of paralysis. This is a situation far more dire than what we witnessed during the Cold War," stated Professor Fawaz Gerges of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

He underscored the...