Israeli Genocide in Gaza
Israel is stepping up its genocidal war on Palestinian civilians in an effort to intensify its enforced displacement policy; Israeli assaults on the Palestinian people have reached a new and distressing peak. Years of confining Palestinians in conditions likened to an open-air prison have now led to a situation where they live in perpetual fear, their existence marked by hour-to-hour uncertainties. Israel has recently intensified its aggression, launching a substantial ground invasion into the Gaza Strip. Consequently, the already dire humanitarian condition in Palestine has been pushed to the brink, with even the basic utilities disrupted and crucial supplies scarcely available.
The ongoing Zionist genocide in Gaza has seen a distressing surge recently. In what many see as a disproportionate response to October 7, the Israeli military executed comprehensive air and artillery strikes, and launched a large-scale ground incursion into the Gaza Strip. Israel has deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure in order to cause as many casualties, material losses, and destruction as possible. Israel has caused massive destruction and severe damage to vital infrastructure facilities throughout the Gaza Strip, targeting 305 schools, 1,541 industrial facilities, and 135 health facilities, including 23 hospitals, 56 clinics, 55 ambulances, 183 mosques, and 3 churches, in addition to 165 press offices.
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Amid these military maneuvers, Palestinians are grappling with worsening humanitarian conditions: electricity is sporadic, water supply has dwindled, and essential imports have been curtailed. 65,600 housing units have been completely destroyed by the ongoing Israeli attacks, while 177,200 others have been partially damaged. 2 million displaced people in the Gaza Strip remain without safe shelter amid inhumane conditions. A glimmer of hope emerges as a few aid convoys have accessed the area through Egypt's Rafah crossing.
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Historically, the Palestinian people's quest for their national identity and rights has been overshadowed by the aspirations of the Zionist movement to forge a Jewish homeland in historic Palestine. Established in the late 19th century, this movement sought refuge from European anti-Semitism by envisioning a homeland in Palestine, disregarding the longstanding roots of the Palestinian inhabitants.
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1948 stands as a testament to this, marking the proclamation of the State of Israel and the subsequent displacement of countless Palestinians. Since that defining moment, Israel has enforced policies which many equate to apartheid, intensifying the rift between the two communities.
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The term "apartheid", while contentious for some, denotes a system characterized by systemic segregation and discrimination. Within Israel's boundaries, Palestinians frequently encounter challenges, facing disparities in sectors like education, employment, and civil rights. Concurrently, Palestinians in territories such as the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem endure an array of restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities.
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These policies, fueled by deep-seated ideologies, starkly contrast with universal tenets of democracy, equality, and human rights. Advocates for peace and justice highlight the importance of understanding the Palestinian perspective and their struggles under prolonged occupation and systemic discrimination. The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement is cited as a peaceful means of calling for respect for Palestinian rights and Israel's adherence to international obligations.
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Israel has flagrantly broken the terms of international humanitarian law, which forbids property damage as a "preventive means" and property destruction as a means of deterrence, even for military purposes.
The toxic mix of victimhood, dehumanising propaganda, rewards for aggression and intense apartheid has bred a lack of empathy in Israelis toward Palestinians. Despite claiming “self-defence” Israel employs discernibly genocidal and dehumanising rhetoric leading to widespread fears of a ‘second Nakba’. This genocide is the latest aspect of its colonial violence and domination of the Palestinian people in a 75-year-long ethnic cleansing campaign.
