On September 25, 2025, the world’s attention remained fixed on Gaza, where nearly one million Palestinians continued to endure relentless Israeli air and ground offensives. According to reports from multiple international outlets, at least 43 Palestinians were killed since dawn that day, among them 11 children in az-Zawayda, whose family home was reduced to rubble in a single strike. The ongoing violence has left Gaza City’s remaining residents in constant peril, with no sign of respite on the horizon.
Meanwhile, the conflict’s reverberations stretched far beyond the battered streets of Gaza. Spain and Italy scrambled to deploy navy vessels after activist boats attempting to break Israel’s sea blockade of Gaza were reportedly attacked by drones south of Greece. These flotillas, long a symbol of international solidarity with Palestinians, found themselves once again at the center of escalating tensions between humanitarian activists and Israeli military actions.
The human toll of the conflict has been staggering. Since the escalation in October 2023, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, including hundreds of athletes and prominent figures such as former national footballer Suleiman al-Obeid. According to Middle East Eye, Obeid, known as the “Palestinian Pele” for his remarkable playing style, was killed in August 2025 while trying to secure aid. The violence has not spared aid workers or those seeking food; Israeli soldiers and foreign security contractors have reportedly killed over 1,400 Palestinians at aid distribution points operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial body that replaced previous humanitarian distribution networks.
As the humanitarian crisis deepened, the international community responded with a wave of diplomatic gestures. In the past months, a growing chorus of Western nations—including Britain, Canada, Australia, Portugal, France, Belgium, and others—joined over 145 countries in recognizing the State of Palestine. The move, celebrated by some as a long-overdue acknowledgment of Palestinian nationhood, was met with skepticism and pain by many Palestinians themselves. Nour ElAssy, a Palestinian student evacuated from Gaza to Paris, wrote poignantly of the disconnect between diplomatic recognition and the daily reality for Gazans. “Recognition is paper. Palestinians are bleeding flesh,” ElAssy wrote, emphasizing that such gestures do not stop the bombs, lift the siege, or feed the hungry. “What we actually need, urgently, is not applause but action. An immediate and permanent ceasefire. The lifting of Gaza’s blockade. Full humanitarian access. Food. Water. Medicine. Shelter. An end to settlement expansion and land theft. International accountability for war crimes.”
ElAssy’s words echo the sentiments of many Palestinians, both in exile and under siege. Her cousin Salma, still in northern Gaza City, described the daily struggle for survival: “They talk of recognition while I have no bread for my children. Recognition does not stop the drones above us. It does not give me medicine for my sick mother.” Another friend, the writer Hanan Azaiza, added, “Recognition might embarrass Israel internationally. But it does not stop the bombs, it does not end the hunger, it does not rebuild my home.”
On the diplomatic stage, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the United Nations General Assembly by video, after the United States barred him and his senior aides from traveling to New York. In his speech, Abbas condemned what he called Israel’s “genocide in Gaza and expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.” He singled out the E1 project, warning that it would split the West Bank and further occupy East Jerusalem, undermining hopes for a two-state solution. “It’s a war crime and crime against humanity. It will be recorded in history books and the pages of international conscience as a horrific tragedy of the 20 and 21st centuries,” Abbas declared, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Abbas expressed gratitude to the countries that had recently recognized Palestine, including France, the UK, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, and Denmark. He urged the remaining states to follow suit and called for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations. “Our people will not forget this noble position,” he said, pledging that “the flag of Palestine will fly in our skies.” Despite the symbolic victories, Abbas’s appeal was clear: recognition alone is not enough without concrete steps toward peace and justice.
Yet, recognition and condemnation have not translated into meaningful changes on the ground. Nour ElAssy pointedly criticized what she described as Western hypocrisy: “How can Western leaders recognise Palestine while continuing to arm Israel? While not using all of their leverage to end the slaughter? While protecting the occupation from accountability?” The author’s frustration was palpable, reflecting a broader sense of betrayal among Palestinians who feel that international gestures have failed to halt the ongoing devastation.
The crisis has also spilled into the world of sports, with significant implications for Israel’s international standing. According to The Times, most members of Uefa’s executive committee now favor suspending Israel from European football, citing the ongoing genocide in Gaza. A decisive meeting is scheduled for next week to determine Israel’s fate in European competitions. The move comes after UN experts called for Israel’s suspension from international football, arguing that “sporting bodies must not turn a blind eye to grave human rights violations, especially when their platforms are used to normalise injustices.”
This pressure on Uefa has, in turn, increased calls for Fifa to take action. However, Fifa faces significant resistance from the United States, which has pledged to intervene and prevent Israel from being banned ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America. A US State Department spokesperson told Sky News, “The US would absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup.” The situation has drawn comparisons to Russia’s suspension from Fifa and Uefa tournaments following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, highlighting the often-political nature of international sports sanctions.
Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly has had to work around US-imposed restrictions on Palestinian leaders. The US has twice denied visas to Palestinian officials, including Abbas, prompting the UNGA to relocate sessions or allow video addresses. In a notable move, the UNGA overwhelmingly passed a resolution enabling Abbas to present a pre-recorded statement in September, expressing regret over the US decision and citing breaches of the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement.
As the world debates recognition, sanctions, and diplomatic solutions, the suffering in Gaza continues unabated. For those living through the conflict, the gap between international rhetoric and daily reality remains painfully wide. The calls for action—ceasefire, humanitarian access, accountability—grow more urgent with each passing day, as the people of Gaza wait for more than words to change their fate.