ISRAEL'S SCORCHED earth policy in Gaza has left the world scouring for terms that capture the horror at the barbarism they are witnessing. Humanitarian organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) appear to have struggled with their statements of condemnation as the relentless bombing of the small strip of land, which is home to 2.2 million Palestinians, left searing images of the dead and dying in a devastated landscape. Even academics were hard put to describe the holocaust unleashed by the Israeli government; some settled for genocide, as did the Colombian President.
An MSF official described as outrageous Israel's 24-hour notice to over one million people in Northern Gaza to leave their land, homes and hospitals. "Unprecedented" does not even cover the medical humanitarian impact of this order, the official said. ICRC described the situation in Gaza as "abhorrent" as residents scrambled for water and food while health facilities and medical personnel were targeted in the bombing of the world's most densely populated area.
A statement issued by Gaza's authorities after the Tel Aviv regime began a complete siege of Gaza in response to the Hamas attack described the action as "the dirtiest crime of collective punishment against defenceless civilians in modern history". Since half the population of Gaza are children, it did capture the true horror of the bombing. Al Jazeera news agency quoted an Israeli official saying it had dropped 6,000 bombs weighing 4,000 tonnes on Gaza in the first six days of its war, killing vast numbers of children.
The vocabulary of outrage indignation is patently limited for a catastrophe on this scale. Responses also depend on a nation's and an individual's moral compass and political ideology. Sensitivities can be sharpened by a familiarity with a situation.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 01, 2023-Ausgabe von Down To Earth.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 01, 2023-Ausgabe von Down To Earth.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
