After over 70,000 tons of bombs dropped, a severely underestimated death toll of 41,000 and destruction that will take at least until the year 2040 to repair, this is Gaza today, and still no talk of a ceasefire. 

It has almost been a year since the genocide in Gaza has begun, and no words could adequately describe the immense pain and the devastating reality of Palestinians. 

No one should be comfortable with the brutalities that they have been subjected to for the past 11 months. Israel’s actions have shown us that they are not just targeting Hamas, but they are also targeting Palestinian youth. Gaza currently has the highest rate of child amputees in the world. The so called “most moral” army in the world has robbed previously healthy and mobile children of their future and livelihoods. Furthermore, according to health experts, the released toxins due to the bombs will lead to severe health concerns, including cancer and birth defects. This is a clear indication that Israel is targeting future generations in an attempt to wipe out all Palestinians.

People have become so desensitized to any atrocities that take place in the Middle East because they just see the locations where the conflicts take place as war-torn countries. However, prior to the genocide, people in Gaza lived normal lives just like us. They had families, homes, careers and aspirations.

Many still wonder why we should be concerned with what is happening across the globe. For one, it is the moral thing to do as a human being. To sit idly by as we watch the most well-documented genocide on our screens highlights our privilege. Additionally, it is our tax dollars that have deprived them of their lives. The least we can do is advocate against what our money is funding. 

The horrors that we are seeing from the photos and videos coming out of Gaza are not even a fraction of the reality they are forced to live. Despite that, discussion of a ceasefire is not a priority for our politicians. As we saw from the last debate, our presidential candidates were more concerned with conveying to each other who is a better ally to Israel. Two weeks ago, Israel killed 26-year-old Turkish- American, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, with a U.S.-funded sniper in the West Bank. Not only does this illustrate that Israelis are targeting Palestinians and not Hamas considering Hamas does not exist in the West Bank, but it also shows that the U.S. cares more about their loyalty to Israel than their own citizens. 

Despite all the terror that Palestinians have had to endure, their strength and perseverance have been admirable and worth highlighting. They have lost their possessions, homes, children and families in the most inhumane way in a span of a year, but they remain hopeful through it all. They have truly redefined the meaning of being resilient and have inspired people, all while experiencing challenges of their own.

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