More than 120,000 have died in the war in Gaza since it began last year and the effect upon the region is all too apparent. Whole families have been exterminated, countless houses and schools and hospitals demolished. Casualties are in the high tens of thousands and many still remain unaccounted for, with searches ongoing.
Instead, the daily nightmare faces a humanitarian crisis. The blockade means that over two million residents have no access to food, clean drinking water or medical supplies. Hospitals are running out of resources to treat the wounded. The psychological wounds are profound, and especially horrific for children who have suffered such unimaginable trauma.
The mass arrests have exacerbated the agony, given countless numbers of prisoners held in deplorable conditions. Families are trying desperately to find their whereabouts and whether they were killed.
The outside world remains divided in its response. Turkey, Qatar and others have sent aid and urged an end to the blockade, while Israel’s Western allies argued in favor of its right to a true defense. The United Nations and international human rights organisations have denounced the violence, calling for investigations into potential war crimes. The worldwide protests have only fueled the calls for justice, but bringing sunshine to diplomatic halls is not easy yet.
With Gaza suffering, the international community must focus on accountability and humanitarian assistance in addition to a long-term approach toward peace. That so many residents of Gaza have had to die and that extensive destruction has been inflicted has shocked the world into ensuring it hears what we also know must be done.
