Palestine: A Litmus Test for Humanity Uncovering the Roots and Reckoning with The Consequences of War

Tracing the Roots of the Gaza- Israel Conflict     

Words fail to capture the horrors unleashed by a brutal regime upon an innocent population since October 7, 2023. Some stand aghast, affronted and determined to halt what they call a ‘genocide’, while others revel in the butchery of fellow humans— dismissing them as ‘animals’ or ‘terrorists’. Who, then, is the real terrorist here? Which side descends beneath the standards of humanity? The term “Sharr ad Dawaab”, mentioned in Surah Al Anfal (The Spoils of War), describes those who neither listen, nor speak nor comprehend the truth as the worst creatures in the eyes of Allah. This concept, situated in a chapter that outlines the ethics of warfare in Islam, underscores a striking contrast with Israel’s blatant violations of the principles that govern warfare and humanitarian conduct— highlighting its transgressions and aligning them with the Quranic definition of moral depravity. This unenviable status is affirmed by facts related to continued Israeli aggression, forced occupation and genocidal actions in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT). 

The current massacre is the latest chapter in a decades long cycle of oppression, illegal settlement, violence and systemic injustice— beginning with the Arab revolt against unauthorized Jewish immigration to the region in 1936, the resultant 1948 Palestine war causing mass displacement of Palestinians, the 1967 Six- Day War that changed the geographical face of the region, and the first and second intifadas in 1987 and 2000. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) provides data on casualties in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) from 1-1-2008 onwards. An analysis of casualties till 6-10-2023 right before the Hamas attack on 7-10-2023 reveals the Palestinian and Israeli fatalities and injuries numbered at 6,343 Palestinian deaths vs 368 Israeli deaths and 162,399 Palestinian injuries vs 6,673 Israeli injuries. These figures also prove that the crisis has its roots much farther back than October 7, 2023.

The Israel- Palestine conflict has tested the collective morality and will of humanity to stop oppression and uphold justice for the past 77 years. This test has entered its final and most gruesome stage and all those with a breathing conscience and living heart must do an honest intellectual and moral appraisal of events to stand on the right side of history. It may seem that that the lines between right and wrong have been blurred during this crisis, but we must respond against the tirade of misinformation, propaganda and breakdown of international order with objectivity, clarity, justice and compassion.

The Devastating Humanitarian and Infrastructure Consequences of the Gaza War

The current crisis can be divided into two periods so far: pre-ceasefire from 7-10-2023 to 17-1-2025 and post-ceasefire from 18-03-2025 onwards. The scale of human suffering remains difficult to document accurately because of widespread violence, media censorship, the erasure of evidence, the killing of journalists and other factors like unrecovered bodies beneath the rubble. Besides, the scale of damage to civilian and humanitarian infrastructure including houses, schools, hospitals, places of worship and electric power plants remains extensive. The documented as well as non- documented sources, live broadcasts and visual and verbal records on social media highlight the adverse effects of Israeli terror campaign in Gaza, revealing a heart- wrenching scenario.

The documented atrocities by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) include thousands of dead and injured people, numerous infrastructure losses and the on-going mass starvation of Palestinian people after Israel unilaterally violated the ceasefire conducted on 17^th January, 2025 merely in two months on 18^th March, 2025. Israel never had any intention to implement the next stages of the ceasefire which would have ensured its permanent removal from Gaza.  According to Reuters, the Palestinian health authorities have reported that more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli ground and air offensive till March 2025. One- third of these victims are aged less than 18 years. Data from UNRWA states that among the 50,021 Palestinians killed as of March 22, 2025, 15,613 are children, 8,304 include women, 3,839 are elderly and 22,265 are men. A research published in The Lancet, a top- notch medical journal, reports that these numbers are 41% less than the actual death toll between October 2023 and June 2024. These figures continue to rise with each passing day. They are not mere statistics; they represent extinguished dreams and tortured souls, roaming in the indifferent chambers of global politics, lamenting their deafening silence, and demanding urgent moral reckoning.

According to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) the number of injured people during the Gaza war from October 7, 2023 to April 22, 2025 is 116,991. At least 90% of the population or 1.9 million people on the 365 sq km Gaza Strip have been displaced ten times or more. The number of orphans who have lost one or both parents is more than 39,000, precipitating the ‘largest orphan crisis’ in contemporary times. Israel is also guilty of blocking all humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza strip since March 2, 2025, depriving the people of food, medicine and other essential items and causing the deaths of 57 children due to malnutrition. The lives of some 60,000 children are at risk of death due to malnutrition and famine. Al- Jazeera also reports 29 starvation- related deaths in besieged, bombarded and famine- ridden Gaza where thousands more, including babies, may die due to this imposed famine of more than 11- week aid blockade. Continuation of blockade would expose up to 71,000 children under age five to acute malnutrition according to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Israel has allowed meagre aid to trickle inside Gaza after international uproar, but this is merely an empty show. As of May 26, 2025, no WHO medical aid has been allowed to enter Gaza, however, the UN Geneva press conference has shown solidarity with the Palestinians by raising their flag.

A new and deeply troubling tactic involves the ‘weaponization’ of aid. Al Jazeera reports that humanitarian relief, previously distributed by neutral agencies, is now being privatized and politicized, with biometric and facial recognition data required in exchange for uncertain supplies. This strategic shift distorts aid into a tool of surveillance and control, while continuing starvation on ground.

Along with civilian deaths, medical personnel, humanitarian aid workers and journalists have also been targeted by the IDF. According to Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), around 14,000 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza in nineteen months till May 2025. In addition, various humanitarian teams have also been unfairly and brutally killed during this conflict. The Norwegian Refugee Council reports at least 412 aid workers have been killed in eighteen months while 95% of 43 international and Palestinians aid organizations working in Gaza have been forced to suspend operations in the territory. Besides, the Cost of War project has found that the war has been more devastating than both the world wars, wars in Afghanistan, Vietnam and Yugoslavia for causing deaths of 232 journalists. 

            In addition to the humanitarian catastrophe, the Gaza war has also caused infrastructure destruction by flattening out some 69% of residential buildings, educational and health facilities and industrial sector worth 18.5 bn USD, thus producing 50 million tonnes of rubble. According to Reuters, more than half of Gaza’s agricultural land has been desecrated and over 95% of cattle have also been slaughtered, further aggravating the hunger crisis in the region. Along with this, 136 schools and universities, 200 government buildings, 823 mosques, 3 churches and numerous hospitals (17 out of 36 partially functioning) have also been bombarded.

As the death toll climbs by the second, the global response remains tragically sluggish. The monstrous machinery of hate and misinformation, perpetuated by Israel and its allies, must be halted. We must commit to rebuilding Palestinian lives, restoring their dignity, and replicating their resilience in every corner of the world—challenging the violent nexus of capitalism, militarism, and extremism through moral, political, and legal resistance. The time to act is now: will the world rise to meet this call of conscience?