Stop War In Gaza

The Israel-Hamas war is showing no signs of stopping at all. Within two months of the ceasefire, Israel has now resumed the war, breaking the truce once and for all. This presents a grim scenario, especially for the future of Palestine and its people, with no peace to be seen there. The Israeli side restarted bombing on Palestine on 18 March through air raids. Since then, at least 436 Palestinians, which include 183 children, have lost their lives as of Thursday noon. It was reported that the United Nations Headquarters in central Gaza had also been attacked, killing two foreign staff and leaving several others injured. 

The much-awaited ceasefire was divided into two main phases and a post-conflict reconstruction phase. Israel’s reason behind the breaking of the armistice is apparently to force Hamas to release the captives being held in Gaza. News reports highlight Israel’s claim that Hamas rearming and planning a new attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement has termed it just the beginning, showing his intentions to completely dismiss the ceasefire and to weaken the military capabilities of Hamas through military attacks. 

The war broke out on 7 October 2023 after Hamas attacked Israel. This caused rapid retaliation from the Israeli side which has been more than violent. More than 49,500 innocent Palestinians have lost their lives and the global community remains just a helpless witness to this genocide. 

The resumption of the war now puts a big question on the return of hostages held by Hamas. Many in Israel have begun protesting against Netanyahu, accusing him of being more focused on protecting his coalition government than ensuring the safe return of the hostages.

Egypt and Qatar, who were the key mediators for the ceasefire, have condemned the move and are working together to push a renewed ceasefire. It is high time both sides showed accountability and acted correctly, keeping innocent civilians in the focus. We cannot afford to lose more lives and the continued violation of human rights.  Because violence only gives birth to subsequent violence, both parties should let go of their ego and move forward with trust. The current events have created a situation where international organisations and mediators have to rethink and search for a new way to sustainable peace.

Political leaders must rise from the act of vengeance. They can make rational choices and prevent further atrocities from happening. These wars and attacks lead nowhere and only act as a breeding ground for a traumatised population, ruins, poverty and underdevelopment. The era of the 21st century should be all about protecting and promoting human rights, not destroying them to get a false sense of power. The current situation also calls for reform in the United Nations as well. 

Making the global body stronger, reformed and independent could, to a large extent, aid in tackling these issues in a level-headed manner. It also demands a common voice, with cooperation between the powerful and the weak nations rejecting wars and violence and focusing more on security and peace. As long as the international system is made robust, peace will and can prevail.