Mohammed R. Mhawish writes:

As Israel’s cruel war on Gaza surpasses 200 days, the toll it inflicts on the Palestinian people grows ever deeper. Both the land and population of the besieged Strip have been obliterated to a degree not seen since the Nakba of 1948. Famine and malnutrition have tightened their grip, leaving hundreds of thousands of families in the north and south desperate for food and medical aid as they attempt desperately to flee the bombing campaign that hasn’t ceased since October.

The losses that we’ve suffered — and are still counting — over the past seven months are immeasurable. They reflect not just homes and livelihoods, but also the dreams and aspirations of entire generations. And with Israeli military and government officials promising an imminent incursion into the overcrowded city of Rafah, which is now home to nearly two-thirds of Gaza’s population, further pain and suffering appear to be in store.

And yet, despite this dire situation, the world’s attention is turning away. The international community seems to be growing increasingly indifferent to our torment. It is painful to see how our identity has condemned us to disproportionate suffering and being treated as less than human by those beyond our borders.

Rather than offering hope, news of the fruitless ceasefire negotiations has become a form of psychological warfare. Every failed back-and-forth over the last seven months has only broken the spirits of the people of Gaza further. Diplomatic efforts have fallen short of meeting the urgent needs of the people, who demand nothing less than recognition of their basic humanity and dignity. The disappointing coverage by the international media, which often amplifies the voices of the oppressors rather than the oppressed, only adds to the sense of betrayal and complicity in the ongoing massacre of innocent lives. [Continue reading…]