THE humanitarian situation in Gaza has descended into a state of utter catastrophe.
What began with relentless bombardment has over the past many months become a systematic campaign of starvation, displacement and despair.
This is not a conflict.
It is a humanitarian calamity marked by what can only be described as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has sounded the alarm with terrifying clarity: Israeli authorities have decimated the capacity of humanitarian agencies to provide even the most basic aid.
Israel has barred agencies from distributing flour directly to families, demanding instead that it only be supplied to bakeries.
This forces desperate Palestinians to queue in overwhelming crowds for bread, often at great personal risk.
Many of these bakeries, overwhelmed and under attack, have now shut down, leaving entire communities without access to food.
This is weaponized starvation.
It is an intentional act of collective punishment.
The people of Gaza are being subjected to a painful erasure.
The scale and severity of this suffering defy words, but they meet every legal and moral standard for the gravest of international crimes.
Condemnation alone is no longer a moral stance — it is complicity.
The international community, particularly the Western powers that have long enabled Israel with political and military support, must move beyond vague statements and symbolic gestures.
Concrete, enforceable action is needed now to stop the genocide.
The Trump Administration has indicated plans for a ceasefire framework between Israel and Hamas.
While any steps toward peace should be welcomed, history demands caution.
Israel has routinely violated international agreements and unless there is meaningful pressure — particularly from Washington — any proposed deal may be nothing more than a diplomatic mirage.
Not only must there be an immediate halt to Israeli military operations, but full, sustained access must be granted for humanitarian aid across all of Gaza.
Muslim-majority nations must also rise to the occasion.
It is a moral and religious imperative that they amplify their efforts, not only through vocal support, but through active, strategic engagement with Western powers.
It is time for action, solidarity and unwavering advocacy for their Palestinian brothers and sisters.
History will remember those who stayed silent and those who stood up.
The time to stand up is now.
