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Israel-Palestine Conflict Through Lens: A Threat to Gaza's Human Security

Israel-Palestine Conflict Through Lens: A Threat to Gaza's Human Security

Smiti Iyer

The Israel-Palestine conflict is one of the most prolonged conflicts in modern history. Since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, Israel's war in Gaza has severely impacted the civilians. It has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, prompting worldwide calls for a ceasefire.


Picture Courtesy - NPR and WAFA

The attacks by Israel on Palestinian schools and other educational infrastructures continued despite an immediate moratorium called for by the Ministry of Education in Gaza. As a result, on 6 November, the Education Ministry suspended the 2023-2024 academic year for 625,000 children, due to the killing of numerous Palestinian students.


Picture Courtesy - AFSC and Human Rights Watch

The picture on the left shows the massive explosion of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, attributed to Israeli forces. WHO describes the extensive attack on Al-Shifa Hospital in southern Gaza, where hundreds of patients were sheltering, as a "bloodbath". On the right, a doctor at Indonesian Hospital is treating a patient using a flashlight. This is the scene at many such sanitariums where patients are being treated with flashlights on phones due to the unavailability of fuel for electricity generation.


Picture Courtesy - The Times of Israel

Humanitarian aid is not delivered efficiently to the citizens of Gaza. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stated at least 8,805 Palestinians, including 3,648 children and 2,187 women, have died due to lack of aid provision in Gaza. This is mainly due to the blockage of aid by the Israeli government aggravated by the Israeli protestors blocking aid trucks at the border crossing from Israel to Gaza. This is done to put pressure on the civilians in Gaza. In addition to it, the aid flow within Gaza is hampered by continuous bombardment by Israel and the killing of the aid workers.


Picture Courtesy - Al Jazeera and AP News

According to the UN Satellite Centre, 30% of the buildings in Gaza have been destroyed, displacing approximately 1.7 million people (over 80% of the population). This has led to the cramming up of half of the population in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, primarily in Rafah, where the world has also witnessed considerable killings in the region.


Picture Courtesy - The Wall Street Journal and Al Jazeera

Obstructing the entry of supplies into Gaza and imposing a complete 'siege' on the essentials such as food and water, has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported depleted food stocks in Gaza, causing food insecurity. According to the UN, southern Gaza received water for three hours, benefitting 14% of the population. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported at least 22,500 cases of respiratory infections and 12,000 cases of diarrhea, with a large portion of the population suffering from dehydration and lack of food.


Conclusion

The conflict remains intractable and prolonged even today. Every hour, more than a million civilians in Gaza get displaced from their habitat. Every day, they get deprived of basic necessities, making them prone to various diseases. Recently, a case of polio was detected, making it difficult for the UN to intervene in providing medications. The drastic change in climatic conditions has led to the vulnerable livelihood of the citizens, as the amount of rainfall received is more than inadequate.

(Smiti Iyer is MA International Studies student (2023-25 batch) at the Symbiosis School of International Studies)


References
  1. Ali, M., & Chugtai, A. (2023, Nov 7). More Than A Month Without Water, Food, Healthcare in Gaza amid Israel war. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/7/one-month-of-no-water-food-and-healthcare-for-gaza
  2. Abutaleb, A. (2024, January 30); Cusaic, P. (2024, January 30); Palumbo, D. (2024, January 30); Rivault, E. (2024, January 30). At least half of Gaza's buildings are damaged or destroyed, new analysis shows. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68006607
  3. Reuters (2024, February 2). Satellite images show 30% of Gaza destroyed, UN Centre says. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/satellite-images-show-30-gaza-destroyed-un-centre-says-2024-02-02/
  4. Kampeas, R. (2024, February 3). Protesters blocking delivery of aid to Gaza plan march to Jerusalem. The Times of Israel. https://www.timesofisrael.com/protesters-blocking-delivery-of-aid-to-gaza-plan-march-to-jerusalem/
  5. Al Jazeera. (2023, December 18). Bloodbath’: Israel continues to target Gaza Hospitals and Civilians. Aljazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/18/bloodbath-israel-keeps-hitting-gaza-hospitals-amid-international-uproar
  6. Yerushalmy, J. (2023, October 17). Crisis in Gaza: why food, water and power are running out. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/17/crisis-gaza-why-food-water-power-running-out
  7. Al Jazeera. (2023, October 17). No medicines, water, food security: All to know about Gaza after Israel War. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/17/no-painkillers-water-food-shortages-what-to-know-about-gaza-situation
  8. Amer, R. (2023, November 12). In this relentless war, oh how I miss my students. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/12/in-this-relentless-war-oh-how-i-miss-my-students
Pictures
  1. Sullivan B. (2023, October 11). How to talk to children about the violence in Israel and Gaza. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/10/11/1205017249/how-to-talk-to-children-violence-israeli-palestinian-gaza-hamas
  2. WAFA (2023, October 31). Ministry of Education calls for an immediate moratorium on Israel’s aggression on Gaza Strip. WAFA. https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/138843
  3. Mullet L. (2023, October 17). Bombing of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital is unconscionable. We need a ceasefire now. AFSC. https://afsc.org/newsroom/bombing-al-ahli-baptist-hospital-unconscionable-we-need-ceasefire-now
  4. Human Rights Watch (2023, November 14). Gaza: Unlawful Israeli Hospital Strikes worsen health crisis. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/14/gaza-unlawful-israeli-hospital-strikes-worsen-health-crisis
  5. Danan D. (2024, May 22). After activist attack on Gaza aid trucks, some Israelis step in to guard envoys. The Times of Israel. https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-activist-attacks-on-gaza-aid-trucks-some-israelis-step-in-to-guard-convoys/
  6. Al Jazeera (2023, October 26). Satellite images show scale of destruction in Israel’s assault on Gaza. Aljazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2023/10/26/satellite-images-show-scale-of-destruction-in-israels-assault-on-gaza
  7. Debre I. (2023, October 21) & Jobain N. (2023, October 21). A tent camp for displaced Palestinians pops up in Southern Gaza, reawakening old traumas. AP. https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-refugees-israel-gaza-hamas-civilians-siege-3f55618a0672c839afe961c8aaa2b7ea
  8. Stancati M. & Karim A. F. (2023, November 7). Israeli Siege leaves Gaza without clean water, causing disease. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israeli-siege-leaves-gaza-without-clean-water-causing-disease-41e2ab73
  9. Al Jazeera (2023, Dec 20). Barely a drop’: UN warns water shortages a deadly risk for Gaza children. Aljazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/20/un-warns-lack-of-clean-water-in-gaza-poses-deadly-risk-for-children