The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) vehemently condemns the heinous Israeli attack on Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp that occurred today, resulting in the tragic loss of 210 Palestinian lives and inflicting injuries on more than 400 individuals, as reported by Gaza’s Government Media Office.

This brutal assault constitutes not only a grave humanitarian catastrophe but also a flagrant violation of international law.

The massacre is another chain in the series of Israeli atrocities committed since Oct. 7 in the blockaded Gaza Strip despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

So far, more than 36,800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and over 83,500 others injured.

Eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

International humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, explicitly prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. The deliberate targeting of densely populated areas such as refugee camps is a clear breach of these legal provisions and amounts to a war crime. The principle of distinction, which obligates all parties to a conflict to distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, has been egregiously violated in this latest Israeli operation.

The Palestinian Return Centre calls for an immediate, thorough, and independent investigation into this massacre. The international community, particularly the United Nations and its relevant bodies, must ensure that those responsible for these war crimes are held accountable. It is imperative that the investigation leads to appropriate legal actions, including the prosecution of those responsible for the attacks.

We urge the International Criminal Court (ICC) to expedite its ongoing investigations into the situation in Palestine. The persistent and systematic attacks on the people of Gaza, which have resulted in a staggering number of civilian casualties, including women and children, reflect a pattern of behavior that could be characterized as genocide. The ICC has a critical role in delivering justice and preventing further atrocities by holding the perpetrators accountable.

We call for escalating all forms of solidarity with the people of Gaza and pressing for an immediate cessation of hostilities., protection of civilians, and respect for international law. Only through collective and determined efforts can we hope to achieve justice and lasting peace in the region.