A FRESH holocaust against the Palestinians is in the making as Israel has ordered over a million residents of northern Gaza to evacuate as a ground invasion of the besieged territory by Tel Aviv is imminent. But the grim truth is that Gaza’s bloodied and brutalised population has nowhere to go, as Israel has sealed the strip, while Egypt has also closed its borders.

As the UN has noted, the Israeli evacuation order is “impossible” to carry out, while the UN relief body has said Gaza is “on the brink of collapse”. Perhaps Israel seeks to recreate here the Sabra and Shatila massacre of 1982 that it oversaw, only on a much bigger scale.

While civilian casualties on both sides are condemnable — more than 2,700 people have died after Hamas launched its surprise operation on Oct 7 — Tel Aviv now seeks to do what it has always done without compunction: massacre men, women and children to ‘punish’ Palestinian armed factions. This is a war crime by any definition, yet Israel’s Western friends choose to call it ‘self-defence’.

One positive development emerging from this nightmare scenario is that erstwhile foes within the Muslim world have set aside their differences to raise a voice for the Palestinians.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the crisis over the phone. Mr Raisi stressed “the need to end war crimes against Palestine”, while the crown prince expressed “deep concern” for Gaza’s people.

The prince and Turkish President Recep Erdogan also discussed the hostilities, highlighting the need to get help to civilians. Meanwhile, the OIC and Arab League, as usual, have limited themselves to issuing statements expressing outrage and sympathy. But when the people of Gaza are facing extermination by the Israeli war machine, more than statements of sympathy are required.

Muslim states first need to put up a united front and ensure humanitarian aid reaches the besieged Palestinian population. Furthermore, those Muslim states that are close to the US and Europe, as well as Arab countries that have established ties with Israel, must unequivocally tell their counterparts that this brutal campaign against Palestinian civilians has to end immediately.

There is also a very real threat of the conflict transforming into a regional war. Israel’s Western partners have indicated that they stand by it come what may, and some have sent symbolic military help as Tel Aviv hammers the Palestinians.

On the other hand, Iran, which backs Hamas, as well as Tehran’s other regional allies have said they are prepared to hit back at Tel Aviv and its backers if certain ‘red lines’ are crossed. A perfect storm is brewing. To prevent an even bigger conflagration, Israel’s war machine must be reined in, or else the consequences, globally, will be devastating.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2023