The Cruel Numbers Of Israel’s Genocidal War

The crimes committed by Israel in Gaza are reminiscent of the actions of German Nazis during the World War Two. Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza is responsible for wiping out an entire generation of Palestinians in Gaza. The human cost of the genocide will continue to impact coming Palestinian generations for a long time.

Simply keeping in mind the toll Israel’s genocide has had on the Palestinian children reveals some of the most gruesome figures in the history of modern world. The figures released by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics are an eye-opener to all those who think that Israel has the right to exist and in doing so can continue to kill Palestinians and all those who oppose its genocide.

The figures are a slap on the face of the international community’s conscience which allowed Israel to continue its barbaric actions with complete impunity. These figures reveal that at least 39,384 children in Gaza ended up losing one or both parents. This toll came within a short span of 534 days since Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza began. The genocide which has devastated the enclave of Gaza is a stark reminder of how helpless the international community is in front of Israel.

Furthermore, this genocide has displaced most of the 2.3 million strong population of Gaza. However, in this blog, the focus will be on the toll suffered by the children of Gaza. The statistics shedding more light on the genocide’s impact has exposed the war crimes committed by Israel. A large number of estimated 17,000 children in Gaza have ended up losing both their parents since October 2023. Israel’s genocidal offensive has caused Gaza children to live in tragic conditions. The bureau has laid bare Israel’s war crimes which are the worst in modern history. Many Gaza children have been left with no option but to “take refuge in torn tents or destroyed homes, in a near-total absence of social care and psychological support.” The statement released by the bureau further added that the “Gaza Strip is suffering from the largest orphan crisis in modern history.”

The bureau’s figures further disclose that that at least 17,954 children were killed in Israel’s genocide which includes 274 newborn babies. Another 876 infants under the age of one year were also killed. This should have been enough to force the world into taking a collective action against the war criminals but there has been a demonstration of complete inaction that puts question mark over the credibility of international organizations, such as the UN.

The misery that the Gaza children are facing has not ended up as of yet. Questioning the existence of humanity is the fact that 17 children ended up freezing to death in tents that had been put up in place for the displaced Palestinians. The bureau figures also show that at least 52 children have died as a result of Israeli-forced starvation and a program of systematic malnutrition.

The bureau in its report has warned of the severe hardship and danger Gaza children face as of now. It is stated that as many as 60,000 Gaza children currently face danger of death due to severe levels of malnutrition. The looming famine over Gaza further threatens to make the situation more precarious.

Israel and its allies have been quick to celebrate the ceasefire but with Israeli Prime Minster ordering the Israeli army to resume attacks on Gaza, the nightmare may have to be re-lived by the Palestinians. The fragile ceasefire may have ushered in a few days of respite but this is over. Even during this short-lived ceasefire, the cost of continuous sufferings of the Palestinians is evident. Israel has sealed important border crossings that are the need of the hour. Against an international uproar and all laws, Israel has moved to stop entry of humanitarian aid that the Palestinians including the children need desperately to survive. The humanitarian supplies have been cut off and this includes vital items ranging from medical supplies and fuel to flour and other necessities.

As pointed out by the Gaza’s Government Media Office, the Israeli forces have adopted and implemented a cruel policy that enforces systematic starvation on the Palestinians and children by stopping the flow of aid including flour since a month. This has forced bakeries to shut down their operations.

The disaster is manifold compounded by the fact that the fragile ceasefire has been broken by Israel and the Palestinian children and minors alone are about 43 percent of the combined Palestinian population in Gaza. The population of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank is 5.5 million.

The Israeli crimes do not end here as since the genocidal war started by Israel, more than a thousand children have been detained. As of now around 350 of them are still languishing in Israeli prisons.

In the past seven weeks, Israel has resorted to blatant violations of the United States-brokered Gaza ceasefire as many as 497 times, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians, including women and children. This has been confirmed by the Gaza Government Media Office that the toll represents figures since the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October.

Biodata: The writer is a journalist and content marketer by profession and has worked for different TV channels and marketing companies. He completed his graduation from University of Karachi and can be reached at samirayub875@gmail.com