The Daily Gist: With Ben Istiphan

Innocent Child or Hamas Militant?
Source: yahoo news

Gaza has been under attack for 4 days now by Israeli military forces. This is supposedly a war against Hamas, the apparent aggressors and initiators of this conflict. If you try to interpret what has transpired by looking through a political lens, then everything might not look so black and white. Hamas has been accused of disregarding the constitution when it unilaterally seized control of Gaza, more importantly, Hamas has failed to recognize Israel as their neighbour. However, the recent events lack any political or national security merits that would in any way justify the attacks on Gaza.

Israel claims that they are specifically targeting members of Hamas, yet the images on the ground represent the antithesis of this assertion. Israeli fighter planes have attacked mosques, as well as a university and a hospital. Even the homes of the innocent have been desecrated, including a refugee camp where 5 sisters were killed in an air strike. Let’s give Israel the benefit of the doubt and label Hamas a terrorist organization. Regardless, why must the innocent and starving people be punished any further? They can’t run because there is no safe haven in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. They can’t escape because external forces in Israel and Egypt will coerce them back. They can’t even be treated after an injury due to the lack of medical supplies, as a result of Israel’s land and sea blockade.

These attacks may not necessarily be systematic, but they are absolutely indiscriminate. Palestinians on numerous occasions have echoed the word “holocaust”, a term that I hope will continue to be concealed in the pages of history and not revealed in tomorrow’s front page.

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