While many Palestinians had woke up on the day that marked the end of Ramadan, hoping for news about a ceasefire, what they received was more news of  Israel continuing policies to displace, exile, and uproot them from their homes and settlements. The Israeli government has and is still attempting to cut off the Gaza strip from Palestine.  

While not all Palestinians are Muslim as some are even atheists or Christians, on their holiest day, many lives were lost: from children to their parents. In addition, a Christian Sisters school was bombed too. Israel has been bombing Gaza under the excuse of “bombing Hamas terrorists” but all it has been doing is harming the poor civilians.  Amnesty International has reported that “At least 21 women were killed as a result of gender-based violence.”

The state of Israel, a Jewish ethnostate that was established in 1948, is currently occupying Palestine, located in western Asia. The Israeli government has continued to enforce severe restrictions on their human rights and most of Gaza’s population has been depending on humanitarian aid since.   

According to DecolonizePalestine, many myths surround the violence taking place in Palestine as of right now: “Palestinians are using human shields to dehumanize and justify the killings of the Israeli” or “Israel has always sought peace.” With and without media coverage, there is no evidence that Palestinians practice such a thing. In addition, Israel has continuously chosen to reject regional peace offers and cease-fire agreements because of the goal of territorial expansion. The database, DecolonizePalestine.com, provides a better explanation of the history of Palestine if you would like more information. 

The whole Israel vs Palestine isn’t a conflict as that’s what it has been portrayed as, it is simply unfair to call it that. Almost 300 Palestinians and 20,000 others have been injured because of the fighting with Israel. This includes not just the deaths of troops, solidiers,  and fighters in the conflict, but also many protestors, medics, and journalists in addition to civilians.

Not only is Gaza suffering, but so is the West Bank where many homes were demolished, many children were detained in Israeli prisons where their education and healthcare access were denied. Our previous president had announced the “peace plan for Palestine-Israel” which was to give even more territory to Israel and divide Palestine further. Zionists had blamed the so-called conflict on Palestine for rejecting the plan because it was colonization. Aljazeera, another news outlet, stated last month, as Israel bombarded the besieged Gaza Strip for the fourth time in 12 years, the United States approved a $735 million arms sale to Israel.”  This issue continues to be complex and involve many people beyond those living through it. 

Palestinian survivors have shared their stories in the media. A mother had even said, “I’m afraid that the Egyptian hospitals aren’t specialized enough to treat, but Egypt is the only country that is offering to help us.” As Palestinians are still living through this, the most that can be done is giving a voice to those young children hp“from the river to sea, Palestine will be free.”  For more information: YouTube videos with scholars like Norman Finkelstein have a thorough understanding of the region and he explains the roots as well as the prospects for peace. Other resources are also books: The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappé and The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine by Rashid Khaldi.