Gaza today is not merely a geographic flashpoint or a humanitarian crisis. It stands as a profound symbol of the moral collapse of the global order and the failure of international institutions to uphold even the most basic human values.

For over nine months, Gaza has endured a brutal war of annihilation under Israeli bombardment. This is not a conflict between two sides—it is a systematic, state-backed campaign of destruction targeting civilians, infrastructure, and the very essence of Palestinian existence. Tens of thousands have been killed, the majority of them women and children. Entire cities have been reduced to rubble. Hunger and thirst have reached catastrophic levels, while the world looks on—paralyzed, indifferent, or complicit.

A Genocide in Real Time

What is unfolding in Gaza is not a military confrontation; it is a genocide broadcast live to the world. Over 64,000 people have been killed, with medical teams, journalists, hospitals, schools, and refugee camps deliberately targeted. Starvation is being used as a weapon. Collective punishment has become official policy.

Yet, while Gaza is being flattened, global powers continue to offer political and military support to the aggressor. Western nations—chiefly the United States, the UK, Germany, and France—have not only failed to condemn these crimes but have actively enabled them through arms shipments and unwavering diplomatic protection.

The West Bank: The Forgotten Front

As international attention focuses on Gaza, the Israeli occupation intensifies its grip on the West Bank. Settlement expansion has accelerated dramatically, with violent settler attacks on Palestinian communities becoming a daily occurrence, all under the protection of the Israeli army. Palestinian villages are raided, lands are seized, families are displaced, and children are imprisoned without charge. Settlements, illegal under international law, are no longer just tools of demographic change—they are instruments of forced displacement, legalized and funded with the support of international Zionist organizations.

A Systemic Global Failure

The silence of international institutions is deafening. The United Nations, the International Criminal Court, and the so-called “human rights defenders” have failed to uphold their charters. Sanctions are absent. Accountability is nonexistent. Meanwhile, the flow of weapons and military aid to Israel continues—proving that for many in the West, Palestinian lives are expendable.

Arab and Islamic Silence: A Historical Betrayal

The failure is not limited to the West. The Arab and Islamic world has largely stood by, paralyzed or complicit. Some regimes have chosen strategic neutrality or normalization, prioritizing political convenience over moral responsibility. Public outrage is widespread, yet leadership remains constrained by fear, alliances, and geopolitical calculations.

The people of Gaza and the West Bank are left to face death, destruction, and dispossession on their own. They are not only defending their land—they are defending the very notion of justice in a world that has seemingly abandoned it.

A Nation Resisting Erasure

Despite the unprecedented devastation, Palestine refuses to die. Gaza stands, bleeding but unbowed. The West Bank resists, bruised but determined. This steadfastness exposes the hypocrisy of international rhetoric and raises urgent moral questions:

Where is the conscience of the world? What remains of international law? Can humanity survive if such crimes are allowed to continue with impunity?

Conclusion: Palestine Demands More Than Solidarity

Palestine is more than a place—it is a global test of justice and human dignity. From Gaza to Jenin, from Rafah to Nablus, Palestinians are confronting not just occupation, but an international system complicit in their suffering.

They are not begging for help—they are demanding that the world reclaim its humanity.

Palestine resists.
Palestine endures.
Palestine demands justice—before it is too late for all of us.

Firas Al-Tirawi – Member of the General Secretariat, Arab Network for Culture, Opinion, and Media – Chicago