Tuesday, October 17, 2023 | 02 Rabiu’l Awwal, 1445 AH
Lagos, Nigeria

Israel Bombs Hospital in Gaza, Killing 500.

An Israeli air strike hit Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City today where thousands of civilians were seeking medical treatment and shelter from relentless attacks. Gaza health ministry says at least 500 casualties were confirmed in the hospital blast. Israel had earlier used chemical weapons on the Palestinian population based on verified video and witness accounts. White Phosphorus, the same chemical that America used during the second battle of Fallujah in Iraq in 2004, was used on Gaza’s population during the week.

Washington has done everything in its power to provide Israel with carte blanche to wage a “long and painful war” against Gaza. Since Hamas incursion into the highly fortified Israeli border on the 7th of October, now known as Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, America has done everything to get everyone to condemn Hamas and reaffirm their support for Israel.

Just like George Bush September 20th 2001 ultimatum: “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.”, one has to make a choice between Israel and Hamas. A dichotomy where Israel is framed as a rational and innocent actor provoked by an irrational terrorist threat, making any criticism of Israel’s actions de facto apologia for terrorism. As usual, almost as soon as Israel commenced aerial bombardment of Gaza Strip, a veteran cheering squad made up of mostly American officials and media, suited up to support the home team: “Israel is so scrupulous about civilian life”.

With the death toll now more than 3000, what is going on in Gaza is genocide, and America is fully involved. With a population of about 2.2 million packed into a space of 365kmsq, Gaza has endured 16 years of blockade, several bloody wars, and gradual strangulation. Hamas incursion was therefore a desperate action, a jailbreak, and Israel’s ongoing acts of disproportionate violence and war crimes will further inflame the Palestinians and strengthen resistance to occupation.

President Biden is now in the Middle East to clear the way for Israel to escalate its violence, and begin land invasion. As Palestinians in Gaza, mostly children of refugees displaced during the 1948 Nakba, are now facing the threat of a genocidal land invasion, Israel’s air strike on this hospital has exposed it as a ruthless nation bent on ethnically cleansing Palestine of its indigenous people. However, whatever Israel and its formidable ally do at this time, Gaza will not go down like the Cannan of the past, ethnically cleansed. And as long as the occupation and Israeli terror on Palestinians remain, there can be no enduring peace in the region.

MPAC Nigeria.

Image: Al Jazeera