The massive death toll of civilians on both sides is heart breaking. Sadly, both sides appear to be not too concerned with shooting or bombing civilian areas.
Over the last 75 years the international community, especially the permanent members of the UN Security Council, who are the only ones with any real power, have made no serious effort to find a diplomatic solution to this bloody conflict.
Instead they seem content to let the endless spiral of killing followed by revenge killing to continue unabated.
I'm wary of making comparisons: the civil war in Northern Ireland was brought to an end by massive pressure form below as communities on both sides of the sectarian divide were heartily sick of the killing and created the necessary space for the diplomatic negotiations which led to the Good Friday peace agreement. Sadly, I don't see this in the Israel-Palestine conflict which seems as intractable as ever.
My only hope, and it seems unlikely, is that Israel, in its desire for revenge, does not carry out the entire destruction of the Gaza Strip and the mass ethnic cleansing of the entire 2 million population. Expelling 2 million people would create another immense suffering and a huge refugees crisis which would further fan the flames of hatred and conflict across the Middle East.
I don't disagree they wield power. However, you point out later that governmental power derives from the consent of the governed.
The truth is that the real power in every institution is we the people that support it. This is why we are divided, so that we can't do what both sides did in Northern Ireland and agree to put a stop to it.
Thanks!