What the world knew about Gaza before 20 June 2025: ICJ, ICC, Amnesty and Airwars
Before the protest at RAF Brize Norton, the ICJ, the ICC, Amnesty International and Airwars had all published findings on Israel's conduct in Gaza, and the UK had suspended some arms licences.
Key points
- The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to take emergency steps on 26 January 2024, and found Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful on 19 July 2024.
- The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant on 21 November 2024.
- Amnesty International concluded on 5 December 2024 that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
- Airwars assessed 1,253 incidents in Gaza that happened before the protest, in which between 10,529 and 14,277 civilians were killed.
- On 2 September 2024 the UK suspended around 30 export licences to Israel but exempted parts for the F-35 fighter jet.
Airwars has assessed 1,253 incidents in Gaza that happened before the protest, in which between 10,529 and 14,277 civilians were killed. Those numbers undercount the overall death toll.
This site's position is that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, a conclusion Amnesty International reached in December 2024.
#What did international courts and UN bodies find?
Six of the seven findings below were public before the protest. The UN Commission of Inquiry's came in September 2025.
| Date | Who | What they found | Public before the protest? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jan 2024 | International Court of Justice | Found that Palestinians' rights under the Genocide Convention were plausibly at risk of irreparable harm, and ordered Israel to take emergency steps ("provisional measures") | Yes |
| 19 Jul 2024 | International Court of Justice | Found Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful, and said other countries must not give aid or assistance to maintain it | Yes |
| 7 Oct 2024 | Oxfam | 289 aid workers had been killed in Israeli airstrikes by 19 August 2024, making Gaza the deadliest place in the world for aid workers | Yes |
| 21 Nov 2024 | International Criminal Court | Issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes, including using starvation of civilians as a method of war | Yes |
| 5 Dec 2024 | Amnesty International | Concluded that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza | Yes |
| 14 Jan 2025 | Save the Children | Explosive weapons left an average of 475 children a month in Gaza with potentially lifelong disabilities during 2024 | Yes |
| 16 Sep 2025 | UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry | Concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza | No |
#What does the Airwars data show?
Airwars has published data on Gaza from 7 October 2023 to September 2025, covering 1,262 incidents it has assessed.
| Type of place hit | Incidents | Civilians killed (low to high estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Homes and residential buildings | 741 | 8,011 to 10,306 |
| Schools, many sheltering displaced families | 94 | 924 to 1,383 |
| Hospitals and clinics | 65 | 315 to 471 |
Airwars checks each incident individually, so its data covers only the incidents it has finished assessing, far fewer than the total number of strikes. It has assessed October and November 2023 most thoroughly.
Show the data
| Item | Low | High | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes and residential buildings (741 incidents) | 8,011 | 10,306 | |
| Schools, many sheltering displaced families (94 incidents) | 924 | 1,383 | |
| Hospitals and clinics (65 incidents) | 315 | 471 |
#What did the UK government find?
From June 2024 the Foreign Office (FCDO) assessed whether Israel was obeying international humanitarian law (IHL). It concluded that Israel had failed in its duty to ensure Gaza's population received the supplies they needed to survive. It also found credible claims that prisoners were being mistreated.
On 2 September 2024 the government suspended around 30 export licences, because there was a clear risk that the equipment could be used in serious breaches of the laws of war. According to Declassified UK, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has repeatedly said that RAF surveillance flights over Gaza are only to find hostages, and that it will not comment on foreign military aircraft using UK bases. The surveillance flights are covered in the Shadow R1 surveillance flights.
#Why was the F-35 exemption challenged?
The same decision exempted parts for the F-35 fighter jet. The government argued that stopping them would disrupt the whole international F-35 programme, because parts go into a shared pool used by all countries that fly the jet, including Israel.
Al-Haq and the Global Legal Action Network, supported by Oxfam and Amnesty, challenged this exception through judicial review. The High Court ruled the exception lawful on 30 June 2025, and the Court of Appeal refused permission to appeal in November 2025. Novara Media's Simon Childs wrote: "Most notably, the ban didn't include parts for F-35 fighter jets which have been used by Israel to kill civilians in Gaza." The wider military picture is in UK military links to Israel.
The accused, who deny the charges, are due to stand trial at Woolwich Crown Court from 25 January 2027. For the charges and the background to the protest, see what happened at RAF Brize Norton.
Questions and answers
What did the ICJ find about Gaza before June 2025?
The court ordered Israel to take emergency steps on 26 January 2024, after finding Palestinians' rights under the Genocide Convention were plausibly at risk. On 19 July 2024 it found Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful.
Did the UK suspend arms exports to Israel?
Partly. The government suspended around 30 export licences on 2 September 2024 but exempted parts for the F-35 fighter jet. The High Court later ruled that exemption lawful.
Has Amnesty International said Israel is committing genocide?
Yes, on 5 December 2024. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry reached the same conclusion on 16 September 2025, after the protest.
Sources
- Airwars, Civilian casualty list: Gaza
- Amnesty International (5 Dec 2024)
- International Court of Justice (26 Jan 2024 and 19 Jul 2024)
- UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (16 Sep 2025)
- Simon Childs on the UK's decision to suspend arms licences to Israel
