The unending struggle of Palestinians
(Momina Altaf, Azad Kashmir Hajira)
Israel-Hamas war or Ethnic Cleansing:
The genocide has entered its third month but the peace preaching Organizations failed to call for a ceasefire yet. Civilian killings, children being blatantly murdered, bombardment of residential areas and buildings, hospitals, refugee camps, Mosques, Churches, Temples of knowledge, nothing has left unharmed in Gaza and these utterly tragic happenings are witnessed by the entire world. For all those, who still assume that this is an Israel-Hamas war as it is portrayed by Western Media that Hamas commenced the war on October 7 2023 by an unprecedented attack on Israel .This is one side of the picture but by digging deep into history it is obvious that it’s evident Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinians started since 1948 which is remembered as the Nakba (The Catastrophe)
In the early 1900s conflict began In Palestine but soon turned into genocide. As World War 1(1914-1918) ends with the fall of The Ottoman Empire. Hence, The Great Britain occupied Palestine since than the casualties happens to plant in the Palestinian Territory. After the Balfour Declaration in 1917, the ideology of Zionist came forward of settling the Jews from all over the world into the lately established homeland for Jews on the occupied Palestinian Territory. Upon the approval of the Resolution 181 of United Nations which states the Partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab state. Therefore, British mandate ended and State of Israel declared on May 14, 1948, which results into the displacement and forced expulsion of almost 750,000 Palestinians towards East Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza Strip, neighboring Countries and in refugee camps. By 1949 the death toll reached upto13000, more than 500 villages were depopulated, 10 of the major cities were captured by Israel and all of these atrocities were committed in a quite systematic way. This Nakba of 1948 has not been a stop but a start and the list goes on Qibya Massacre 1953, Kafr Qasim Massacre 1956, Rafah Massacre 1956, Bahr El-Bakr Massacre 1970, Sabra and Shatala 1982, Khalil Massacre 1994, Jenin Massacre 2002 and then the Gaza War 2008, 2012, 2014, 2021 and 2023. Since two decades Gaza lives under Military Siege. Thus, it’s rational not to label it as Israel-Hamas War but an obvious apartheid and slaughtering of Palestinians being committed by Israel where Hamas plays a role of resistance force.
Life in Gaza:
In the ongoing extremely horrific situation in Gaza where the deaths toll has crossed an enormous figure of 18,000 from which 7,000 are children, yes children! Up to 49000 are injured. It’s again a huge human catastrophe in history because Israel has surpassed the atrocities of Holocaust and both World Wars. This tragedy has turned Gaza Strip into an ocean of blood. According to Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, Israel has dropped more than 25,000 tons of explosives (including White Phosphorus) on the Gaza Strip since October 7, this is equivalent to two nuclear bombs. It is day 67th of the continuing genocide and a bloodbath of Palestinians. Life in Gaza is extremely excruciating as there is no safe place left for masses to take shelter. No Gas, fuel, electricity, food, water, medications are available. Unfortunately, when the entire world is progressing, this massive destruction has pushed Gaza back into the old times decades back as compare to the rest of the World. Moreover, still Israel has the audacity to tag the residents of Gaza strip as human animals. This time the on ground reality of Israel’s brutalities are examined by world due to social media platforms but can it be regarded as Digital War? Because the graphics are being posted, liked, commented, shared and scrolled towards next as if a series of Gaza Ethnic Cleansing is going on. Nonetheless, the people of Palestine while bearing the extreme level of torture, oppression and cruelty they have proved to be the utmost courageous, dauntless, lionhearted souls ever existed on earth.
Children in Gaza:
Gaza has been one of the most densely populated City upholding half of the population under 18. As mentioned in Human Rights Convention 36, 38, US: act to protect children in conflict states that children must be protected at every cost during a war crime but situation in West Bank is vice versa because child rights Organizations are unable to stop the rain of bombs on children. 7000 is not mere a number but a huge figure of innocent little dead souls whereas the children stuck under the rubble are unknown yet. Babies in incubators are suffering as hospitals are out of fuel and electricity. Even the arrested Palestinian children are subjected to torture and were beaten by Israeli Defense Soldiers (IDF). Within every hour a child breathes his last because of several injuries and starvation, Hamas has already declared famine in Palestine. Children of Gaza have no safe place left to take shelter.
International Appeal for attention:
As attested by the first protocol of Geneva Convention ‘an occupied territory can be defended’, Article 33 of 4th Geneva Convention clearly states ‘the bold and blatant devastation is war crime’. Israel is violating all the rules and laws of International Organizations and human laws as well including transgression of Article 44 of 4th and 147 of 1947 Geneva Convention. On the other hand United Nation’s resolution of October 27, 2023, failed to call for a truce due to abstentions and prejudicial attitude towards resolution also another resolution of United Nations for immediate ceasefire is vetoed by USA on November 8, 2023. These abstentions and vetoing lay out compassionless fact that sentiments on ground is with a terror State. This is utterly inhuman and urgent global attention is the need of time to stop bombardments on occupied territory and must call for a credible peace already Palestinians have lost a lot otherwise decimation and barbarism will continue the crisis in region and victims will be civilians and children.