SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2024
Six months have passed since Israel launched the full-scale offensive on Palestine after the former’s security forces were caught unaware in an attack by Hamas on October 7. The total number of people killed in Gaza since October 7 has crossed more than 34,000 and more than 75,000 wounded, according to Palestine’s Health ministry. There is not a single country where the citizens have not protested against the war on Palestine and demanded an immediate ceasefire. Even the governments of nations supporting Israel’s offensive by supplying arms and ammunition have faced protests by their citizens for extending support to the ‘genocide’.
On the other hand, in January this year, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a historic ruling while passing its judgment said that it had jurisdiction to rule in the case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The interim ruling issued by the court ordered six provisional measures, including for Israel to take all measures to prevent genocidal acts, prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to genocide, and take immediate and effective steps to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. The ICJ also ordered Israel to preserve evidence of genocide and to submit a report to the court within a month regarding its compliance with the order.
There have been demands from almost every member State of the United Nations for a ceasefire, but the United States of America has vetoed the demand. The Palestinian city of Gaza has been bombarded to the extent that nearly 50 percent of the buildings in the area have been destroyed. Israel in its madness of schemes to wipe out Palestine has deployed the no-aid tactic leading to deaths of thousands due to starvation, including children. Anybody following the Israel’s war on Palestine has surely come across visuals and photographs of the dire situation on the ground. The offensive did not stop even in the holy month of Ramadan, as hundreds of Palestinians died due to bombings or due to starvation.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) earlier this month in a report stated that some 1.7 million people have been displaced, communities were obliterated, homes demolished, entire families and generations wiped out. And now starvation is bearing down on Palestinians in Gaza. Around 1,55,000 pregnant women and new mothers are struggling to survive. They suffer from hunger and the diseases that stalk them, amid life-threatening shortages of food, water and medical care. For the 5,500 women who will give birth in the coming month, accessing adequate health care is an unimaginable challenge.
After Christmas and Easter, Eid-ul-Fitr or Ramadan Eid is the most celebrated festival globally. After 40 days of Lent, Easter was celebrated last week. In the countdown to the Eid, while observing the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and offer special prayers in which the Quran is recited, as it is believed that the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the month of Ramadan. Friday sermons which form an essential part of the Friday prayers, urged the global leaders to end the war and the sufferings of the innocent civilians of Palestine. Gaza has been described as “the largest open prison” in the world.
Muslims in India have been displaying their support to the Palestinian cause. Quite naturally being a Muslim nation, Palestine and Palestinians are believed to be brothers in faith for Muslims, however, alongwith other citizens, Muslims believe that the Palestine crisis is also a humanitarian crisis which needs to be addressed politically and a solution derived at the earliest. Indians have joined the demand for a ceasefire and peace in the region.
The Israel-Palestine war has made the region very volatile with neighbouring countries maintaining a wait and watch policy even as aid from the same countries has been blocked by Israel from reaching Palestine. Global leaders, especially the UN Security Council, should pursue to implement the two-nation policy with independent States and not carve out Israel in the middle of Palestine as a separate State. For peace to prevail, independent and autonomous territories are the foundation, with none of the two being oppressed, suppressed and subjugated to the other’s might.
As the world celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr, all people desirous of a solution to the Palestine crisis, should join in praying for peace in the region. Eid Mubarak to all!
