By P. Sudhir
Yaqeen Hammad, a 12-year-old Palestinian girl, was shredded into pieces by an Israeli missile attack on her residence. Yaqeen has been aptly called the Anne Frank of Gaza. Like Anne, who kept a diary in an attic in a Holocaust-ravaged, Nazi-occupied neighbourhood, Yaqeen documented the horrors around her. Her diaries – digital this time – became a record of the brutalities faced by her people.
Ironically, the present-day Israeli Zionists, who invoke the Holocaust to justify their moral rationale for the State of Israel and recount their suffering, are now adopting similar oppressive attitudes. Yaqeen moved from one refugee camp to another, shot videos, and posted them on Instagram, bringing global attention to the gruesome realities in Gaza. More than a media activist, she was also involved in humanitarian aid, helping thousands of hapless Palestinians in war-ravaged Gaza.
The phrase “live-streamed genocide” has gained currency – coined by Amnesty International – thanks to brave social media activists like Yaqeen. The targeting of children in Gaza is not accidental; it is the outcome of a sinister ideology that labels even innocent children as collaborators of Hamas. This notion is deeply ingrained in the hysteria whipped up by Zionist politicians. Moshe Feiglin, a close associate of the Netanyahu government, even stated emphatically: “Every baby in Gaza is an enemy.” The depravity of such statements is unprecedented. Some extremists have gone so far as to support wiping out all such children as a military objective.
The latest Israeli plan reportedly involves deploying reinforced army units to capture and “clean out” Gaza’s 365 square kilometres – 70 per cent of which has already been turned into “no-go zones” for Palestinians. Most of Gaza’s population could be pushed to Rafah, the southernmost city, which has itself been virtually razed. Cities like Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah are now synonymous with daily destruction.
Perhaps the most disturbing element of the Israeli plan is the forced relocation of Palestinians into Israeli-controlled zones, ironically termed “humanitarian zones.” There, ration packets are distributed by private security contractors tied to Israeli-vetted aid organisations. Aid has been politicised and militarized – used as a tool for coercion. This design enables a protracted occupation, with Palestinians confined to increasingly smaller areas and Israel controlling all access to necessities. Reportedly, Donald Trump even involved himself personally in setting up an aid organisation outside UN oversight to carry out this militarised aid programme.
Netanyahu’s cabinet has code-named the military mission “Gideon’s Chariots.” Whether it is truly intended to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages or simply a cover for collective punishment is clear from the scale of destruction.
However, the intensity of the military operation has forced some changes in western leadership’s tone. In a joint statement, the UK, France, and Canada condemned the humanitarian crisis, calling it “intolerable.” They questioned the inadequacy of the food aid plan and said: “We condemn the abhorrent language recently used by Israeli government officials. Permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law.” While initially supporting Israel’s right to self-defense after Hamas’ October 7 attack, they now strongly oppose the expansion of military operations in Gaza.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated: “Humanitarian aid must never be politicised,” emphasizing that the only viable resolution is a two-State solution.
Yet, in the absence of US pressure – especially with Donald Trump’s silence – it is uncertain whether Netanyahu will heed this advice.
Francesca Albanese, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, was forthright: “Most member states remain inactive at best or are actively aiding and abetting Israel’s criminal conduct.” She referred particularly to western and some Gulf nations. She also warned that Israel risks becoming a pariah state, given its relentless assault not only on Palestinians but also on the United Nations.
It is clear that this tragedy stems from the complicity – wilful or not – of nations that backed the 1948 UN plan creating Israel. The Zionist ideology of ethnic cleansing was evident from the outset. Jewish historian Ilan Pappé, whose family suffered during the Holocaust, detailed these intentions in his book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, beginning with the 1948 Nakba. This design is now unfolding – with Donald Trump’s grandiose plan to turn Gaza into a tourist riviera adding insult to injury.
We must understand why Israel is pursuing this hysterical campaign in Gaza post–October 7. Regardless of Hamas’ military capacity, their actions challenged the myth of Israel’s security invincibility. This campaign could not have proceeded without active western complicity – especially from the US.
Without a civilized State-to-State relationship between Israelis and Palestinians, military might can never secure lasting peace.
What we have witnessed in India is also unprecedented. Historically, Indian leadership – from Gandhi to Nehru – unambiguously supported the Palestinian cause. There was a national consensus. However, the rise of Hindutva forces has changed this completely. Hindutva and Zionism share a common ideology: religious identity-based nationhood morphing the very nature of the State. They are ideological soulmates. From the early days of the RSS, its leaders admired Zionist ideology. Contemporary Hindutva, fuelled by Islamophobia, is now supporting Israel’s campaign of destruction.
This alliance seeks to redefine the conflict – not as one for Palestinian liberation, but as a religious war between Jews and Muslim Palestinians. This narrative is bolstered by growing military and security partnerships between Modi’s India and Netanyahu’s Israel.
The task ahead is clear: international solidarity with Palestine is growing. Signs of shifting western response suggest that in the 21st century, Gaza has become an existential test for modern civilization. Indian people must mobilise and pressure the Modi government to denounce Israel’s intolerable actions. The responsibility rests with us all. (IPA Service)
