Massacre of Innocents

Israel launched a Gaza ground campaign after 12 days of bombardments from the air and sea failed to stop militants' rocket attacks, stepping up an offensive that already has taken a heavy toll in civilian lives. The death toll over 12 days now stands at 333. That figure includes 77 children, 24 women and 18 senior citizens, and that more than 2,385 people have been injured.

Despite a long-term peace process and the general reconciliation of Israel with Egypt and Jordan, Israelis and Palestinians have failed to reach a final peace agreement. The remaining key issues are: mutual recognition, borders, security, water rights, control of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, Palestinian freedom of movement and resolving Palestinian claims of a right of return for their refugees. Many attempts have been made to broker a two-state solution, involving the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel (after Israel's establishment in 1948). In 2007, the majority of both Israelis and Palestinians, according to a number of polls, preferred the two-state solution over any other solution as a means of resolving the conflict.

What's happening in Gaza is nothing new - a rerun, if you will, of a midday television drama first aired decades ago. Briefly, it goes like this -

2004: Operations Rainbow and Days of Penitence.
2006: Operations Summer Rains and Autumn Clouds.
2008: Operation Hot Winter.
December of 2008: Operation Cast Lead (or Gaza War).
March 2012: Operation Returning Echo.
October 2012: Operation Pillar of Defense.

And now we have Operation Protective Edge.

The fighting has been the worst between Israel and Palestinians in two years. You just need to be human to realize what is happening in Gaza is wrong. Power goes out in the Gaza Strip. Israel has cut off the device nutritious for the people of the Gaza Strip with electricity. Some areas were not provided with electricity for more than 24 hours, a full day.

This is what Israel is doing here in Gaza; power outages, the bombing of houses and killing of children, men and women!!

The Gaza strip is blockaded by Israel on the north-east, east and South-east. Egypt stands guard at the south and south-west, and has recently closed its borders. And in the west and north-west is the Mediterranean Sea. The West Bank is worse. It shares an immense border with Jordan, but Amman has a bloody history with the Palestinians (black September, anyone?) The entire region is surrounded and secured, if you will, by the Israelis.

One can smell death everywhere and one can see oppression and fear in all the eyes one see. Future is unknown In the Gaza strip, so you never know when the air strike will kill you and you will become breaking news on local and international media. You never know if the

air strike will kill you alone or with your family. You never know when you will be a serious injury and nobody can take you to treat out of Gaza because Rafah border is closed.

You never know if your family will have the time to say goodbye to you, or you will be pieces that nobody can recognize who you are.

In Gaza, if you are still alive because they are lucky that the Israeli air-strike didn't kill you yet!

To shed blood of civilians is not the way to end up a conflict. And it is again MUSLIMS who are targeted and killed in the name of religion. Palestine, Gaza in particular, has a Muslim majority. However, this does not mean that its problems and the crimes committed against its people are the concern of Muslims alone. People in Gaza want to live in peace and justice. A long-term solution is needed for Gaza, to give them better future they deserve. To the eyes and ears of any non-Muslim, Gaza would seem like an issue that does not involve them - it is a Muslim thing, an Islamic world issue. But, as the placard phrased so beautifully, it is the concern of the entire world, of humanity. As a human we all should stand up for the sake of humanity if we really are humans!! As this is a humanitarian crisis, not a religious one.



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