"WE have failed you. This is the awful guilt we carry. We tried. But we did not try hard enough. We will go to Rafah. Many of us. Reporters. We will stand outside the border with Gaza in protest. We will write and film. This is what we do. It is not much. But it is something. We will tell your story again. Maybe it will be enough to earn the right to ask for your forgiveness." - Chris Hedges, Letter to the Children of Gaza, Nov 8, 2023
THE above letter by Chris Hedges, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, poignantly expresses the collective guilt of the world towards Palestinian children and deepened by the silence of the international community.
As Israel's genocidal campaign on Gaza persists, the toll on children is staggering, with approximately 11,422 young lives lost. On the 49th day alone, 500,000 children suffered the direct impact of the violent Israeli assault, which left 16,200 injured, 19,500 orphaned and 460,000 homeless.
The profound impact of war on children, resulting in death, injury, disability, illness, psychological trauma and loss of social networks, as mentioned by Joanna Santa Barbara in her article "Impact of War on Children and Imperative to End War" is tragically evident in Palestine, particularly in Gaza.
The use of incendiary weapons, such as white phosphorus, that is prohibited by international humanitarian law has resulted in severe injuries. It is known that the weapon causes severe burns and, in most situations, even to the bone. The wound is also slow to heal and is likely to cause infection.
The severe injuries inflicted on the Palestinian population, especially children, using these and other weapons are heartbreaking.
For example, Melissa Joudah, a baby, suffered a spinal fracture and paralysis from her chest to her lower body. The little girl also lost up to 60 members of her family.
The same applies to Alaa, 7, and Ahmet, 4. Alaa lost his left hand and suffered other injuries. Alaa suffered all these injuries in two attacks, the first on his family's home in the northern Gaza Strip and the second time when he was in Al-Nuseirat camp.
In the meantime, Ahmed has lost both legs and parents. The fate of Melissa, Alaa and Ahmed is representative of tens of thousands of children in Palestine and around the world who have been victims of war and conflict.
In most cases, the injuries suffered by children also resulted in them losing their abilities due to loss of limbs or other factors. It has been reported that around 9,000 Palestinian children have had to have one or more limbs amputated and 1,000 children have not been given anaesthesia.
As stated by Unicef, the massive destruction caused by Israel in the Gaza Strip and other areas has also exposed children to disease due to basic resources such as nutrition, water safety, shelter and access to medical care being reduced or lost altogether when the war broke out.
More recently, Palestinian children's lives continue to be threatened by hunger because no food aid reaches the besieged Gaza Strip. In addition to the severe impact on their physical health, children are also at risk of psychological crises.
Save the Children, a humanitarian non-governmental organisation, stated in a June 2022 report that the mental health of children in the Gaza Strip has reached a critical level. Since the imposition of the land, air and sea blockade in 2007, children in Gaza have been deprived of their right to life and freedom and have instead been overshadowed by violence.
The recent escalation in Gaza intensifies the mental health crisis, with children exhibiting symptoms of trauma. The arrogance of Israel and the United States should be curbed so that they can be held accountable through legal mechanisms and international pressure.
Global unity is crucial to end the war. Malaysia, a staunch supporter of Palestine, may adopt an approach of religious diplomacy for a lasting solution. This approach, spearheaded collectively by government agencies, civil society organisations and all stakeholders, aims for the liberation of Palestine.
Historical examples, like the role of the church in ensuring a peaceful transition from communism in East Germany and the church movement in ending apartheid in South Africa, demonstrate the potential of religious diplomacy in conflict resolution.
Ultimately, each of us has a responsibility to ensure the freedom, peace and happiness of Palestinian children, who have long yearned for a liberated Palestine. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!
* The writer is fellow at the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM)