Enough is Enough in Gaza

Jihad Alshrafi / AP

What is happening in Gaza and the West Bank is horrible.

Since October 7, 2023, these are the figures of casualties in the conflict:

• Israel- 1,139 deaths

• Palestine- 62,914 deaths

• Journalists- 222 deaths (Palestinian 217, Lebanese 3, Israeli 2)

These are the reported deaths and injuries among Palestinian civilians since May 27:

• 1060 dead

• 7218 injured

• 5000+ needing critical therapeutic feeding for severe malnutrition

There is no scenario in which this would be considered ok. It's hard to comprehend such suffering and death.

An area smaller than Delaware losing this many people during this time frame is unbelievable. We must ask ourselves why this is happening and why it does not generate a stronger response within us and our communities?

The situation is very complicated. Israel is an ally of the US, doing a lot of work that the US doesn’t want to have to do within the complicated battles of the Middle East. The US government has always offered a longer leash to allies that offer a real value to the relationship, and no one has wanted American soldiers in conflict consistently throughout the region.

Many different information campaigns have been used by the Israeli government to generate military and financial support for decades, feeling that it is our responsibility to ensure their state remains stronger than the countries around it. In specific cases, that has meant that we must support the acts that are committed by the US and Israeli militaries in the name of defending themselves.

AFP/Getty Images

However, the political entity that is the government of Israel was created within another existing country, by force. Palestinians were driven off their land at gunpoint, forced to move into camp-like structures to live under military rule for generations. In addition, in the 70 years of Israeli political existence, they have failed to abide by any treaties governing the land they could inhabit and have constantly broken international law by continually forcing Palestinians off more and more land.

Currently, the people in Palestine live in a literal wasteland. More than 80% of structures in Gaza have been flattened. Hospitals are barely functioning behind Israeli food and medicine blockades. Nearly 50% of the population is considered malnourished, while Israeli soldiers are murdering civilians waiting in line for limited food distributions from aid agencies.

I think we must ask ourselves if this is what being an American is about. No matter what farcical ties have been drawn by power brokers that want more money and influence, it is never acceptable to supply money and weapons to people openly murdering families that are seeking help. There is no justification. There is no moral relativism that can make it all better.

We cannot be silent about what we are supporting. Our current government is suppressing people who want to speak on behalf of Palestinians. They are locking up protestors and forcing universities to remove students that support Palestine. They have made any negative word about the murdering they are doing about “antisemitism.”

We cannot be silent about genocide. I do not want to look back on my life and say that I witnessed something so horrible happen and didn’t even say it was wrong.

I know many of you personally, and you live your lives in sacrificial, generous, caring ways. I encourage you to continue to speak up for those who currently have no voice. Our leaders need to be accountable for where our money goes and who may be negatively affected by it.