Courtesy of Amsterdam Center of International Law

Note: I understand that a situation of this capacity should not be taken lightly, as I certainly don’t see it as such. I tried my best to craft my thoughts carefully while getting my opinion across– happy reading!

65,602. That is the minimum estimated number of people who have died during the Israel-Palestine War since 2023. That doesn’t take into account the over 160,000 injuries, the 320,000 children who are at risk of acute malnutrition, or the 1.9 million Palestinians who have been displaced since the start of the conflict. It has been nearly two years since Hamas launched a series of missile strikes on Israel, strikes that took 1,400 lives. This war has always been between two forces: Israel and Hamas. Yet, this seemingly simple concept was lost in translation and has altered the lives of too many innocent civilians.

As I scroll through social media, my algorithm has taken me through the utter devastation this war has inflicted. Young children, pleading for a meal, the thousands of tents set up along the Gaza Strip, and the rubble of buildings that once held memories. It’s shocking for two reasons: it makes one realize how good they have it, and also highlights the lack of empathy our society has adopted. Various press outlets paint innocent civilians as evil, yet they fail to realize that the desire for control is the evil in this situation. They forget that a problem that is this dire is sensitive, one that impacts the livelihoods of ordinary people– there is no humility regarding the situation in Gaza. 

 I struggle to fathom how one can justify the starvation and exploitation of millions, especially children, for land. While I understand that the motives behind this conflict are more complex than some outlets may paint it out to be, the end goal should always be peace, and not the eradication of an entire ethnic group. What will that do in terms of moving forward as a society? Will it show us that superiority holds significance in society? Does it show that the power dynamic between nations never favors the innocent? I’m not exactly sure what the end goal is, yet the one thing that is apparent to the vast majority of nations is the issues this conflict has brought forth. 

As of recently, members of the United Nations have emphasized two main points: recognizing the State of Palestine and putting a label on the conflict in Gaza. A growing majority of UN members are beginning to formally recognize Palestine as its own state. Most notably, France, the UK, Canada, and Australia joined the 151 nations that see Palestine in this light. As more nations follow suit, this recognition may open doors for humanitarian aid to reach the most needy. Making any sort of progress in this ongoing crisis starts with aiding the innocent and vulnerable. 

The UN has not officially put a label on the Israel-Palestine conflict, yet an independent inquiry released on September 16th stated that Israel is actively committing genocide against Gaza. If this statement stands true, this means there will have to be a more deliberate effort in helping repair the shards that have been broken during this ongoing conflict. While labels don’t mean everything, the interpretation of this war by the UN is life or death for so many souls. 

I wholeheartedly believe this war is far too complex to have one, straight-shot solution. There are an extensive number of factors the UN has to consider if it wants to make meaningful change, yet these decisions have to come fast. The one thing that can be taken away from these events is that the lives of innocent people shouldn’t be put at risk for the sake of two forces. While I think this is the case for every major conflict, this point needs to be re-emphasized as we are watching these events unfold on our TV screens nearly every day. The goal of peace will come when the world learns to value humanity over power.