ON 7 October, Hamas launched a sudden attack on Israel, employing rockets and para-gliders to infiltrate Israeli territory with weapons. This surprise attack resulted in the tragic death of nearly 900 Israelis. It’s perplexing how the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, often regarded as one of the world’s premier intelligence agencies, failed to detect this incursion in time. Given the advanced technology available, such as satellite surveillance and ground movement detection systems used for earthquake prediction, the failure to detect mass movements in Gaza raises significant questions about the Israeli intelligence apparatus.
Historically, Israel has demonstrated precise targeting of Hamas militants through drone strikes. However, in the aftermath of the attack, it appeared as if Israel was left defenceless, with open vulnerabilities to Hamas attackers. This raises concerns, considering that Israel controls internet access in Gaza through towers located within its territory. This implies that mobile networks are under the authority of the Israeli government. How, then, did Hamas manage to conceal its attack? This is a matter that warrants serious scrutiny.
The Hamas-Israel conflict has brought to light various aspects of the international system, with a conspicuous disregard for humanity. President Joe Biden’s stance appears to be influenced by one-sided information, and he seems unable to discern right from wrong. Hamas’ attack on Israel resulted in 1,500 casualties and 140 Israeli abductions, while Israel’s ongoing and seemingly unending retaliatory attacks on Gaza have led to nearly 4,000 deaths and almost 10,000 injuries. Gaza now resembles a place filled with the rubble of demolished buildings. Human Rights Watch confirmed that Israel used phosphorus bombs in civilian residential areas in Lebanon and Gaza on October 10th and 11th, 2023. Phosphorus bombs have devastating effects on humans, including skin burns, contractures and long-term injuries to respiratory organs.
In recent developments, Israel has ordered 1.1 million Palestinians to evacuate northern Gaza and move south in preparation for a ground invasion. The United Nations has cautioned that such a move may have “devastating humanitarian consequences” since it’s impossible for a vast number of people to evacuate the area. This amounts to the potential preparation for genocide of the population that cannot successfully vacate the area. Reports indicate that Gaza’s hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients, with 60 percent of them being women and children. They won’t be able to leave despite Israel’s demands. This mass movement of people will undoubtedly lead to dire consequences. What about those who lack means of transportation, or too old to move, or are short of money? For them, it seems there may be no choice but to face death.
Palestinians who can move are heading south, and many are gathered at the Rafah crossing, an area bordering Egypt and Gaza that is not controlled by Israel. Humanitarian aid is waiting at the Rafah crossing since Gaza’s hospitals are running low on fuel and medicines. However, the Egyptian Government claims that Israel is not cooperating and has bombed the Rafah crossing for the third time on October 16, 2023.
Israel is not only indiscriminately bombing the Gaza Strip but has also cut its electricity, food, fuel and water supply. The lack of energy supply to Palestinian hospitals may turn them into “morgues.” This situation presents a humanitarian tragedy where Palestinians are trapped and left to perish. Those who survive the bombings may die due to the lack of water and food. World leaders appear to be silently witnessing these events. People worldwide have taken to the streets to protest against Israel’s actions in cities across the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Italy, Ireland, Morocco, Indonesia, Pakistan, Yemen, Bangladesh and Brazil, demanding an end to the war.
Ironically, in the UK and France, protestors were met with resistance from security forces, violating the principle of freedom of speech. If burning the Quran is allowed in the name of freedom of speech, why is protesting against the killing of innocent people considered a prohibited activity? Another striking aspect is the inaction of Muslim countries surrounding Gaza that are silently witnessing these atrocities without meaningful intervention. In this stark disregard for humanity, Palestinians are left with the options of either leaving their homeland or perishing within it, while Israel appears to be advancing its long-awaited objective of territorial expansion.
The decision by the British government to allow Jews to settle in Palestine after World War-I was unjust and driven by strategic motives. This decision resulted in the first Naqba, the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1948, and the establishment of the Israeli state. Palestinians were not only deprived of their right to their own land but also subjected to mass extermination in an attempt to erase their identity. Their only mistake was their perceived “weakness.”
Does this mean that the weak have no right to exist? Why is a two-state solution so difficult to accept? Why do western powers support Israel’s adamant rejection of a two-state solution? This time, Israel seems prepared to eliminate Palestinians as unwanted citizens with no right to live. It appears that human values have ceased to exist for the weak within the current global system. History is replete with examples of how unjust deeds lead to instability. The silence of world powers and Israel’s use of force will undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences, as is the nature of such actions.
—The writer is Research Analyst at the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad.
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