Israeli airstrikes have relentlessly minced Gaza. There is no safe place left for these people or anyone in Gaza under Israel’s attacks
The whole world is witnessing this brutal reality with clarity that life in Gaza has changed dramatically and permanently since October 7, 2023. On that date, Israel launched a massive military campaign that continues to this day. Palestinians, held captive for the past 23 months in Gaza under an illegal Israeli blockade and many describe it as “the world’s largest open-air prison.”
No rationale can validate genocidal violence and Israel genocidal actions are beyond the scope of justification in international human law and human conscience. Using white phosphorous in Gaza to kill people, cutting off of essential services, prevention of delivery of fuel and aid, and starvation of civilians for military purposes, are heinous war crimes of Israel. Its merciless murderous campaign is a significant escalation and part of its continuous violence against Palestinian civilians since 1948.
If we take a look at last year, according to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) 2025 report, the killings and destruction went on without interruption by the Israeli forces in 2024. Israeli militarykilled, wounded, starved, and forcibly displaced thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and destroyed their homes, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure at a scale unprecedented in recent history. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported in late November that more than 44,000 people had been killed and 104,000 wounded since hostilities escalated on October 7, 2023. Nearly all Palestinians in Gaza were forcibly displaced, and all faced severe food insecurity or famine.
Those who have died are gone, but the injured, the displaced, and the orphaned- there suffering is immeasurable and what makes the injustice even worse is that Israel continues to disobey a January 2024 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) requiring the admission of adequate humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel locked down the Gaza strip, prevented food, water, fuel, and electricity from entering Gaza. In view of this situation, the World Health Organization has warned that the population is starving to death.
The horrific, unlivable conditions in Gaza are not a natural catastrophe, they are Israeli made. Even after witnessing all these atrocities, the global powers continue to stand with Israel. Furthermore, this is utterly preposterous that after blocking aid from entering Gaza, Israel has established the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in collaboration with the United States (U.S.). GHF set up food distribution sites, attracting starving civilians and then allowing them to be shot by Israeli forces. Because reports say that GHF sites are exploited like a light bug-zapper, used to extinguish human beings without regard. The GHF sites have been criticized by humanitarian organisations as killing fields.
As extensively documented in past conflicts, Israel intentionally targets humanitarian aid workers, children, journalists, paramedics, and people with disabilities. Israeli airstrikes have relentlessly minced Gaza. There is no safe place left for these people or anyone in Gaza under Israel’s attacks under the guise of eliminating Hamas. See how insensitive the world powers have become that after seeing such oppression, the world powers remain aligned with Israel.
For over 76 years global powers have stood by as Israel has done gross violations of individual and collective rights of the Palestinian people. They have never enforced UN resolutions or international law, including General Assembly Resolution 194 and its derivatives, or Security Council Resolution 242 and its successors. In fact, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other countries have protected and supported Israel in committing these war crimes. And continue to do so by funding Israel’s military action in the billions of dollars. The merciless bombardment has purposely made return to their homes impossible for nearly all Gazans.
The continued collective punishment of the Palestinian people in Gaza deepens the already tragic psycho-social and health situation. Ongoing violation of every human right has devastated Gaza psychologically and socially. Post-traumatic stress disorder is extremely common. Therefore, the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) in its new mission to break Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza. Many Palestinian steadfastness inspire this mission.
The GSF is the largest civilian maritime mission organized to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza. Coordinated by grassroots organizers, seafarers, doctors, artists, and solidarity activists from over 44 countries, including Pakistan. The flotilla is a nonviolent humanitarian mission responding to the ongoing genocide and siege against the Palestinian people.
The representatives of GSF called for immediate action to ensure humanitarian access to Gaza and to end the genocide of the Palestinian people. They made an appeal to all states and relevant authorities to take every possible measure to guarantee at a minimum the opening of a safe and continuous humanitarian corridor to Gaza. They also made an appeal to call on governments and international institutions to safeguard the flotilla until it safely reaches Gaza. As international humanitarian law obliges all states to protect civilians in conflict zones and to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Their aim is to end the use of starvation as a means of warfare, which is a breach of article 54 of the extra-protocols of the Geneva Convention and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to live in peace and freedom in their own land. However, the challenges have already taken hold because of the Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir threats and falsely branded them as ‘terrorists.’
In response, GSF strongly condemned the threats by Israeli National Security Minister. They called on the international community, the UN, and all governments to stand firmly with them and guarantee their safe passage into Gaza. They also invited independent observers and media to join them in documenting their voyage to ensure full transparency and accountability.
Press release issued on September 4, in which GSF members stated that no intimidation, no smear campaign, and no act of brutality could silence the global demand for justice, dignity, and humanitarian aid. They have come together to do all they can to break the blockade and deliver hope to Gaza’s children and families. But Isreal did not refrain from its aggression. In Tunisia a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian aid came under alleged attack twice in twenty-four hours from a drone.
In view of this situation, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Ireland, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain and Türkiye expressed their concern about the security of the GSF. They called on everyone to refrain from any unlawful or violent act against the Flotilla, to respect international law and international humanitarian law. They also recalled that any violation of international law and human rights of the participants in the Flotilla, including attack against vessels in international waters or illegal detention, would lead to accountability.
Now our only prayer is that better days come for all Palestinians and this GSF succeeds and achieves its purpose. May the flotillas sail safely to Gaza’s shores and end the criminal blockade. Now all of this Zionism and its genocidal occupation must come to an end.
