Solidarity from the furthest!
Photo credit: Al-Jazeera
Following the renewed but deadly fight in Gaza, the situation has been deteriorating day in and day out. The Arab states’ abandonment on the Palestinian cause did not come a complete surprise at all. Their positions or rather inability to respond or stand up for the rights of their dehumanized, dispossessed, and disgraced brethren was an open secret.
Contrary to the prevailing narrative that excessively propagated fallacies, the ongoing assault and the aggressive fight indeed began well before October 7, 2023, when Hamas waged a surprise and deadly attack in some parts of the occupied territories. The settler-colonial regime’s gross violations on the Palestinian rights have been going on for over 75 years.
No body, however, anticipated that South Africa would emerge from the entire globe of nations in taking Israel to ICJ on genocide complications. Similarly, no one expected that Latin American countries such as Columbia and Peru, with their predominant Christian faithful’s and remote geographical locations, would show greater empathy than the entire Arab and Islamic world’s combined sympathy. These countries have indeed demonstrated a deep sense of solidarity for the besieged, carpet-bombed, and abandoned civilians in the Gaza enclave.
As if that is not enough, it has not come to anyone’s weirdest dreams, that university students in the USA would defy the status quo and courageously embrace the principles taught at the institutions of higher learning. Consequently, and to the surprise of many, they are rightfully demanding an end to genocide in Gaza.
Just as I am working on this piece, progress on a ceasefire agreement has been reported in the region, although not yet fully confirmed by the concerned parties. While this development is a welcome move, it’s important to remain mindful that this is coming after 7 deadly months during which none of the stated war objectives were achieved. Unfortunately, the human loss stands at 34,700 Palestinian deaths, with 70% being women and children.
Just as the brutality and intensity of the violence have been described as unprecedented, the steadfastness of the oppressed – their patience, courage and resilience -equally goes down the annals of history as unprecedented and unmatched.
Nevertheless, the real braves are the Palestinians in the destroyed enclave who, despite enduring profound dehumanizing living conditions, persistently document their daily living conditions and share them via social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and similar sites. Young, educated Palestinians- men, and women- amid unparalleled human catastrophe, better utilizing technology for a greater good, defiantly share their heart-breaking conditions to the outside world.
This is how people in the west, primarily the younger generations in America, a tech-savvy gen Z, follow developments in the occupied territories as they unfold. While the mainstream media, with its blatant bias keeps entertaining the older generations in compromised accounts, the younger ones remain better informed and as such hugely connected and concerned.
The true heroes, however, are the health professionals working in a destroyed health system, both local and brave international volunteers, still carrying out lifesaving operations in extremely difficult and dangerous landscapes. It is the doctors who had to amputate a ten-year-old child’s legs without any anaesthetic assistance and only illuminated by mobile phone lights to save lives.
Among the unsung heroes are those who courageously distribute food and the few allowed supplies to the needy amidst shelling, air strikes and AI-supported drone attacks. Equally brave are the journalists and media personnel who, despite losing everything- family members, homes, equipment- continue to defy fear and document Israeli atrocities instantly. A day might come when this evidence will play a crucial role in holding the perpetrators accountable!