As I write these words, the people of Gaza are enduring a living hell that defies comprehension. The world’s collective conscience should be screaming in response to their plight, but instead, it seems to have grown numb and apathetic. The situation is dire, with famine stalking the population and the threat of an even more catastrophic escalation on the horizon.
Two months ago, Israel’s decision to block all aid from entering Gaza set a devastating course in motion. Today, Israeli officials have announced their plan to expand military operations, effectively occupying the besieged strip until Hamas is defeated or disarms. This ominous development will only exacerbate the suffering of 2.3 million people crammed into a mere 42 kilometers of land.
The consequences are apocalyptic. Civilians are being forced southward, further entrenching their already dire circumstances. Those who have had to endure 19 months of bombardment, displacement, and starvation will face even more unimaginable hardships. The 59 Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas will also be at greater risk as the conflict rages on.
The prices of basic necessities are skyrocketing, with a kilo of sugar costing $30 and a 25kg bag of rotten flour reaching a staggering $300 – if it can even be found. Mothers are unable to produce milk due to malnutrition, leading to babies dying from starvation. Videos of emaciated toddlers have surfaced, their bodies nothing more than skin stretched over bones.
UNICEF reports that at least 9,000 children have been admitted for treatment of acute malnutrition this year alone. Amnesty International has gone so far as to call the blockade “genocide in action,” as it deliberately imposes conditions of life on Palestinians calculated to bring about their physical destruction.
Meanwhile, families of the hostages are pleading with the Israeli government to prioritize their loved ones’ safe return before it’s too late. They warn that the expansion of military operations puts every hostage at grave risk and that there can be no end to this conflict without their release.
A ceasefire, unfettered aid entry into Gaza, and thorough negotiations for a long-term peace deal are the only ways out of this nightmare. Only then can families begin the arduous journey of recovery and rehabilitation, and hostages return home to their loved ones.
As one family member of a person killed in Hamas’s slaughter so poignantly put it: “Violence begets violence.” An even bloodier offensive will only bring more suffering for both civilians and Israelis held captive, less security for all Israelis, and snuff out any glimmer of hope for a peaceful future in the region.
The international community must break its silence and act. The stakes are too high to ignore the cries of those trapped in this endless cycle of violence and despair. It is imperative that we come together to demand an end to this senseless suffering, to call for a ceasefire, aid, and negotiations that will pave the way for a sustainable peace.
Sourced from https://www.independent.co.uk/