AFTER four months of continued Israeli barbarity in the Gaza Strip, more than 28,000 Palestinians have been butchered mercilessly, including more than 10,000 children and over 5,000 women. Besides, there are more than 67,000 Palestinians injured, and, according to United Nations estimates, 17,000 children have been separated from their parents. However, Israel is not done yet. In fact, it has now started bombing Rafah, which is the last area in Gaza that has some buildings that are still standing.

There is currently no end in sight to brutal Israeli onslaught against hapless Palestinians both in Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The UN secretary-general has already described Gaza as a ‘living hell’ on Earth.

There are more than 1.7 million people in Gaza who have been displaced and are facing an acute hunger crisis amid disease outbreaks owing to the severely unhygienic conditions in which they are surviving in the so-called ‘safe zones’ which are actually anything but.

According to the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Palestinian economy’s dire outlook is worsening as the conflict persists. “Only a durable peace and political solution will fundamentally change it,” she has been reported as saying. Israel’s withdrawal of work permits of 130,000 Palestinians as well as its proliferation of checkpoints that have disrupted transport are adding to the economic woes.

The diplomatic efforts of Qatar, Egypt and others towards a ceasefire have been rejected by Israel’s ultranationalist and conservative right-wing government that is led by Zionist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is not Israel, but the military and financial might of the United States that is allowing such a free hand to the Zionists.

People around the world, especially in the West, have been asking their governments to push for a permanent ceasefire, and to ensure the establish-ment of a Palestinian state as per the 1967 borders, but the US is not listening to its people, and is forcing other govern- ments to follow suit by not paying heed to what the people are saying.

Countries with a colonised past have to come to the front, leading the fight for Palestinians. South Africa just did, and it is planning even more. It is time for the rest to join hinds. As for the people, they should continue putting pressure on their respective governments, and they must continue boycotting major brands that are sponsoring Israel’s war machine.

Mikaael Ahmad
Muzaffarabad

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2024