As a Palestinian, I can vouch for the fact that words are one thing Palestinians never lack. You might even remember that children in Gaza held a press conference during the early stages of the war, pleading with the world to “protect” them so they could “live as other children live.”
But unlike anything we’ve seen before, the level of violence in Gaza has increased since the attacks on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of about 1, 139 people. Additionally, compared to all other conflicts in recent decades, Israeli forces have killed 250 Palestinians on average each day.
Rafah, the only remaining location in Gaza with any semblance of a meaningful humanitarian response, has been overrun by more than one million people who are waiting for the next military operation that could result in retaliation.
Words have started to fall short for us as a result. Many people now claim that the suffering we are experiencing cannot be adequately described by words. I’m against it.
We still have some words that bind us to our shared humanity and on which we must rely. the language of accountability, international law, and human rights. words like “obligations,” “violations,” and “heinous crimes.” the rules of employment. and the war laws.
These words are highlighted not only because they are appropriate to use, but they also serve as a counterbalance to other words that have gained prominence, like the language of dehumanization, which encourages the commission of heinous crimes.
I went to my brother’s wedding in the West Bank village where we grew up in June 2023. We were able to temporarily put our daily abuse and the occupation we work in behind us.
When hundreds of armed settlers stormed our village a few days later, setting fire to homes and cars while attacking my family, friends, and neighbors—the village’s tenth attack in just six months—that moment of joy was quickly dashed.
Two young children’s father, who was 27 years old, was killed. Numerous others suffered gunshot wounds. No settler has been held accountable as far as we are aware.
The assaults on my village coincided with a pattern of rising Palestinian unrest across the occupied West Bank, which saw an increase in settlers’ and Israeli forces’ frequent and violent attacks. According to a Save the Children report from September, 2023 was the deadliest year ever for Palestinian children living in the West Bank under occupation. The first nine months of the year saw a threefold increase in child fatalities compared to 2022, which had previously been the deadliest year since 2005. Then came October 7, which brought about unheard-of levels of violence and dehumanization.
Horrifyingly, since the war started, at least four of the six serious crimes against children—children killed in Gaza and Israel, kidnappings of children from Israel to Gaza, assaults on Gaza hospitals and schools, and the denial of humanitarian access for kids—have been committed.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, there have been at least 29, 000 reported fatalities and 69, 000 injuries in Gaza, and an estimated 8, 000 people are missing, thought to be buried beneath the debris of bombed-out buildings.
Even as aid organizations warn that nearly every child in Gaza is in imminent danger of famine, Israeli forces have carried out some of the most inhumane actions, including sending Palestinian civilians to so-called “safe zones” and bombing them there.
There is no doubt that the rising dehumanization of Palestinians is a contributing factor in these extreme levels of violence. Some journalists have called for Gaza to be turned “into a slaughterhouse,” senior Israeli government officials have labeled Palestinians “human animals,” and some Israeli soldiers have been seen wearing T-shirts with images of pregnant Palestinian women and infants as military targets.
International humanitarian law violations that could be considered war crimes include indiscriminate attacks on civilians, forced eviction, the use of collective punishment, and starvation.
Videos of Israeli bulldozers excavating Palestinian cemeteries, Palestinians’ dead bodies being struck by military vehicles, and young Palestinian boys being stripped naked and blindfolded in the street have all been broadcast to the world.
I find it horrifying that so many influential people around the world, who profess to support human rights and the rule of law, would have watched these videos without condemning them. When videos of some of the more than 130 hostages still being held captive in Gaza after being taken by Israel on October 7 surfaced, however, there was widespread condemnation.
Making fun of “never again” is a common practice in many other places before our failure to stop the atrocities in Gaza.
With everything we now know, I’m not sure if world leaders will actually use their positions of influence and power to put an end to this bloodshed; perhaps they’ll just keep making “statements of concern” while keeping a blind eye.
Although this war shouldn’t have started, it has undoubtedly lasted far too long. More and more children will perish, suffer injuries, become orphans, and experience severe trauma every day as a result of this.
The rule of law can still be upheld, though, even if politics keeps undermining humanity. Judgments passed down could change society’s course in the coming weeks, months, and years, creating a fairer and safer world.
All children, including those living in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel under Israeli occupation, have a responsibility to call for an end to the violence, adherence to international law, as well as accountability for those who break it.
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