The elevation of the Ukraine war on the Western media and political agenda is not merely a reaction to developments on the ground in Eastern Europe; it serves a strategic function in containing global public pressure over the ongoing crimes in Gaza. Sergei Lavrov’s warning about efforts to divert global attention away from Palestine, although reduced in Western media to an aspect of the confrontation between Moscow and the West, reveals its true nature when viewed alongside the intensification of pressure on Gaza. By turning Ukraine into the “dominant crisis,” the West has effectively emptied the narrative space of Palestinian human suffering, making it possible for the Israeli regime to continue its military actions without incurring serious political costs. This strategy complements the broader project of whitewashing Israel and diminishing the sensitivity of international institutions to the genocidal dimensions of what is unfolding in Gaza.

Gaza: A Composite Genocide of Bombs, Hunger, and Cold

The reality on the ground in Gaza presents a clear picture of a multilayered genocide: continuous aerial and ground bombardment; a movement blockade enforced through the creation of a “yellow line”; the systematic use of starvation and displacement; and, finally, the aggravation of the crisis by cold weather and rain. Statistics released by Gaza’s Government Media Office expose the falsehood of claims that 600 aid trucks enter daily. Even the limited entry of 230 trucks remains under the control of the occupiers, who prevent public access to essential goods. The destruction of thousands of tents, the urgent need for 300,000 shelters, and the martyrdom of more than 70,000 people all confirm that the West’s proclaimed ceasefire is merely a cover for the continuation of pressure on civilians. The United States’ move toward sanctioning UNRWA constitutes the latest link in the chain of blocking aid delivery and deepening the humanitarian disaster.

Reconstruction: A Promise Designed to Evade Responsibility

In meetings ostensibly held in support of a ceasefire, the West repeatedly raises the prospect of reconstructing Gaza, without accepting its direct responsibility for the destruction. CENTCOM’s acknowledgment of more than 60 tons of rubble, alongside the West’s complete silence regarding debris removal, points to a strategy of “destruction without accountability.” While advanced equipment was sent to Gaza to recover the bodies of Israeli soldiers, no comparable action was taken to rescue civilians. The insistence of the UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, that Israel and its arms suppliers must bear the cost of reconstruction rests on a clear legal foundation. Western efforts to finance reconstruction using others’ resources represent not only a denial of responsibility but also the reproduction of a cycle of profit and destruction.

Whitewashing Israel and Blocking International Justice

At the diplomatic level, the West is simultaneously pursuing the reduction of Israel’s isolation and the obstruction of legal avenues. Threats by the United Kingdom and the United States against the International Criminal Court should it pursue the case against Netanyahu demonstrate how the so-called “rules-based order” is swiftly suspended when Israel’s interests are at stake. Germany’s resumption of arms exports, along with similar practices by the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, combined with efforts to disarm Gaza, has deliberately shifted the balance of power in favor of the occupier. The experiences of Syria and the pressure exerted on Lebanon also show that compromise and disarmament are not deterrents but incentives for aggression. Under these circumstances, global responsibility requires the continued awakening of public opinion, the consolidation of consensus among Islamic countries, and sustained action by artists and intellectuals—because silence today is complicity in tomorrow’s crime.