October 7, 2023, marked a devastating chapter in modern history when Hamas launched a surprise attack on an Israeli music festival, killing 1,140 people and taking 240 hostages. In retaliation, Israel vowed to eliminate Hamas. However, the response has escalated into what many now describe as a campaign of ethnic cleansing, turning Gaza into a nightmare of destruction and despair.
This devastation is not accidental – it is systematic. Over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, many of them women and children sheltering in residential areas. Schools, hospitals, and refugee camps have not been spared. The long-standing Israeli blockade has only worsened the humanitarian crisis, cutting off access to basic necessities like food, water, medicine, and electricity.
What is happening in Gaza is not merely a conflict-it is the erasure of a people, their culture, and their homeland. As the cries for justice grow louder, one urgent question remains: How long will the world continue to turn its back on Gaza?
Javeriya Mahar
By email
