Ceasefire now

On Monday, the US in a surprising move did not raise its hand at the UN Security Council to object to a ceasefire in Gaza. While it abstained from voting, it did not become an immovable obstacle to a process that could lead to lasting peace in the region that has been under relentless Israeli bombardment for close to six months now. The resolution, accepted by the remaining 14 countries, calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in the month of Ramazan, and asks for the release of all hostages. However, the truce is not dependent on the hostages’ release, something to which the US has objected. According to official figures, although many experts believe the figures to be undercounted since Israel has systematically destroyed government-run institutions in the country, 32,333 Palestinians are dead, including at least 13,000 children, and 74,518 others injured. And those who have escaped Israel’s bombing somehow are at risk of starvation. So far, at least 20 people, including children, have died of malnutrition and starvation. According to a Unicef report released in February, “90 per cent of children under the age of 2…face severe food poverty…, and 95 per cent of households are limiting meals and portion sizes, with 64 per cent of households eating only one meal a day.”

And while these stats should force countries to do all they can to stop the unequal war, whether the recently adopted resolution is binding is a pressing question. Israel has already ignored the verdict of the International Court of Justice that held in January this year that the settler state's actions constitute a plausible genocide and that the entity must refrain from harming civilians. Ever since the verdict, all that the world has seen is the videos of smiling IDF soldiers killing anything that moves. For close to six months, Gaza has become a test lab for high-tech weapons and ammunition. The annihilation of the strip is being supported by a majority of ordinary Israelis, most of whom strongly object to the provision of humanitarian aid in Gaza. But these six months have also taught a lesson to the world – a lesson about the arrogance of the Western world and its complete disregard for the lives of non-white people.

The US, particularly, has shown that when it comes to hatred for Gazans, Republicans and Democrats are on the same page. With US representatives openly calling for the deaths of “more children” in Gaza to US entertainment celebrities objecting against pro-Gaza speeches, the facade that the US skilfully arranged has now come undone. Israel used baseless allegations against Gazans to stop the funding of UNRWA, a critical aid for the people in the occupied territories, and the Western world happily complied. Democrats in the US preferred hurting their vote base among Arab Muslims and supported Israel's irrational war approach. Other Western leaders stutter when talking about a ceasefire and mimic the actions of the superpower to remain safe. Although the night of oppression is long and cruel, Gazans have shown that their perseverance and resistance are at unmatchable levels. While the resolution is a positive step and it is indeed satisfactory to learn that the countries think the failure to comply will be “unforgivable”, relief of any kind will only come when a real ceasefire is implemented.