Gaza on the Brink. Entire families are being annihilated in moments. Homes, educational institutions, and medical facilities lie in ruins. As Gaza approaches its 600th day under siege, the global community remains indecisive—debating whether to label this devastation as a security conflict, offering subdued condolences, or merely sharing another hashtag.
The death toll has surpassed 53,900 Palestinians, with over 122,000 injured. In just the past 24 hours, Gaza’s health ministry reported at least 38 fatalities and more than 200 injuries, many of them children. A single airstrike in Khan Younis eradicated nine members of one family. Elsewhere, a four-year-old boy succumbed to starvation—a tragedy not born of natural disaster but of deliberate siege, blockade, and warfare.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has emphasized the urgent need for 500 to 600 aid trucks daily to meet Gaza’s basic requirements. However, only a minimal number manage to enter. For families lacking infant formula, patients without essential medications, and displaced individuals residing in tents without access to water, this shortfall equates to a death sentence.
Over 90% of Gaza’s population has been forcibly displaced. Tent camps, many devoid of basic sanitation, are under attack. Hospitals have collapsed. Food is being weaponized. Aid is restricted. Every principle of international humanitarian law—distinction, proportionality, protection of civilians—is being systematically violated.
Journalism is also under siege. With 220 reporters killed, the assault has extended beyond civilians to a war on documentation and truth. The Israeli military now claims control over 77% of Gaza. What remains is devastation.
In addition, international legal experts, including UN rapporteurs, have consistently raised alarms about potential war crimes. Yet, global political will is stymied by vetoes, alliances, and moral double standards. Also, a recent meeting of European and Middle Eastern foreign ministers in Madrid, considering sanctions, offered a rare glimmer of pressure. But without a ceasefire and a credible plan for justice, such gestures risk becoming mere fig leaves for the status quo.
Lastly, there will be time for tribunals and inquiries. For now, the priority must be clear: the killing must stop. Aid must flow—unimpeded and immediately.