A leading international law expert has strongly criticized Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza, claiming that its forces are not doing enough to avoid civilian deaths and injuries. Jessica Dorsey, assistant professor at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, said the Israeli military shows a repeated pattern of harming civilians, raising serious legal and ethical concerns.
Dorsey challenged Israel’s explanation after its forces killed several children at a water collection point in Gaza. Officials claimed the strike was a mistake, but Dorsey said this explanation no longer holds weight due to the frequency of such incidents.
“Mistakes can happen in war,” she said. “But when we see this level of repeated civilian harm over a long period, we must stop calling it a mistake and start asking if this is part of a broader policy.”
She explained that with the advanced technology Israel uses, its military should be capable of striking with precision. Instead, she argued, the damage to civilians and civilian structures suggests a lack of serious effort to avoid such harm.
“Better technology should lead to more care, not less accountability,” Dorsey said. “But what we’re seeing instead is a concerning trend of disregard for the rules that protect civilians.”
As an international lawyer, Dorsey emphasized that all armed forces have a legal duty under international law to take every possible step to protect civilians. In her view, the Israeli military is falling short of that obligation.
“They are not taking the steps they are required by law to take,” she said. “And when you combine that policy with fast and destructive military technology, it causes widespread harm at a shocking pace.”
Dorsey also criticized what she described as Israel’s selective approach to international law. She said it appears the military is more focused on justifying its actions rather than following legal standards.
“It’s not just a case of isolated incidents,” she said. “The pattern we’re seeing includes attacks on aid workers, medical centers, journalists, and other protected civilian infrastructure.”
This, according to Dorsey, suggests a strategic approach rather than accidental missteps. She believes that the evidence points to a deliberate choice not to prioritize civilian protection.
She noted that the international community has a responsibility to investigate and hold parties accountable when there are repeated signs of legal violations during a conflict.
Human rights groups and legal experts have echoed similar concerns. They argue that the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza, especially among children and aid workers, reflects a serious failure in Israel’s military decision-making process.
Calls for greater international oversight have grown louder in recent months, with many demanding independent investigations into the targeting choices made by Israeli forces.
Dorsey believes that ignoring such patterns not only puts lives at risk but also weakens the global legal system designed to protect civilians in war zones.
“When laws are bent or ignored to serve political goals, everyone loses,” she said. “This isn’t just about Gaza. It’s about whether we respect the basic rules of war that exist to protect human life.”
Despite growing pressure from international observers, Israel has continued its military operations in Gaza, citing the need to target armed groups. However, critics argue that its actions have gone far beyond military targets and have caused avoidable human suffering.
Dorsey concluded that unless stronger legal action is taken, the cycle of harm is likely to continue. “Accountability must follow patterns like these,” she said. “We cannot keep calling them mistakes when the same types of incidents happen again and again.”
