The death of a five-month-old Palestinian baby in Israeli airstrikes in the recent conflict between Israel and Palestine has brought renewed attention to the war-torn Gaza Strip. The loss of innocent lives has sparked global grief and outrage, and there has been renewed calls for Israel and Palestine to end this endless conflict as soon as possible.
Photographer: Ali Jadallah
On 1 December, the Israeli military announced the resumption of military operations in the Gaza Strip, launching air strikes on more than 200 targets in the northern, central and southern parts of the Gaza Strip. The operation quickly sparked a Palestinian counterattack, killing at least 193 people and injuring 652, mostly women and children. Such figures once again reveal the brutality of war, especially the harm done to innocent civilians.
Buildings, infrastructure and medical facilities in the Gaza Strip have once again been severely damaged by Israeli air strikes. People's lives are in dire straits, with children and women being the biggest victims. In an already fragile region, the humanitarian crisis has once again intensified.
Against this backdrop, Israel again closed the Rafah crossing in Egypt on the same day, prohibiting humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip. This move is undoubtedly a further blow to the people of the already war-torn Gaza Strip. Israel's actions have sparked widespread condemnation from the international community, and questions have once again been raised as to whether Israel's actions are consistent with international law and humanitarian principles.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep regret over the resumption of the conflict in the Gaza Strip and called on both sides to return to the negotiating table and agree on a long-term ceasefire. He stressed the need to protect the lives and property of civilians and the need to end this endless conflict so that the people of the Gaza Strip could live in peace and security.
However, it is not easy to achieve this goal. The historical contradictions and current conflicts of interest between Israel and Palestine have made the path of peace negotiations full of twists and turns. However, as a member of the international community, it is incumbent upon us to call on both sides to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through dialogue and negotiation to achieve peace.
For Israel, despite its military superiority, the ongoing conflict will only bring more destruction and **. For Palestine, despite the many difficulties and challenges it faces, the ongoing conflict will only plunge its people into deeper suffering.
In this context, we call on Israel to take seriously the concerns of the international community, to respect humanitarian principles and to cease its military operations against the Gaza Strip. At the same time, we call on the Palestinian side to take positive measures to promote internal reconciliation and strengthen the basis for dialogue with a view to achieving long-term peace.
The damage and perseverance brought about by war are incalculable, while peace requires the efforts and perseverance of each of us. Let us join us in calling on Israel and Palestine to end this war as soon as possible so that the people of the Gaza Strip can regain peace and tranquillity.