Palestinians call for political action, not monetary aid, asserts Mads Gilbert

At London University's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), an electrifying event unfolded last Wednesday. Dr. Mads Gilbert, a renowned Norwegian humanitarian, painted a harrowing picture of A Night in Gaza during the launch of his book. He emphasized his aim to present the siege on Gaza as an inhuman, unbearable reality—a catastrophe we've got to take action against.

The last eight years have seen Israel's relentless offensives on Gaza, killing thousands of innocent Palestinians, yet global apathy towards their plight persists. The brutality inflicted upon these civilians, including children, is well-documented. The destruction witnessed in Gaza cannot be more manmade, encompassing not just military atrocities but also daily apartheid-like conditions that restrict Palestinians' freedom of movement.

International complacency in allowing such injustice is reflected in the whitewashing of war crimes and deliberate erasure of Palestinian history from their own land. The brutal Israeli-led blockade and border closures have crippled Palestine's infrastructure recovery efforts. As a result, children in Gaza face malnutrition and anaemia, while hospitals struggle with electricity shortages.

In 2021 alone, over 1,400 civilians, including 500 children, lost their lives. Despite "warning" bombings, most Palestinians found it impossible to evacuate their homes in time. During these tense times, when they're under siege, where do they flee?

Before its attacks, Israel cut off electricity supplies, causing unimaginable hardship for Gaza's hospitals. The sheer resilience of Palestinians emerged at this time, a beacon of hope amidst crushing despair. Dr. Gilbert spoke of children who, despite losing their parents in front of their eyes, would clean their wounds and help attend to the injured. Heroism knows no bounds in such times.

Rescue workers, doctors, and nurses selflessly left their families during crises to save others, displaying remarkable bravery and skill. Unfortunately, Israeli tactics include bombing rescue teams and ambulances to maximize the loss of life. Dr. Gilbert said, "Collapsing paramedics are a common sight." Undeterred, these brave souls would immediately receive oxygen and rush back to their life-saving missions.

Dr. Gilbert encouraged his audience to admire rather than pity the Palestinians, support their right to resist Israeli occupation, and lobby for change in the political and media discourse that fuels the occupation and siege. The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon did express his shame at Gaza's plight in 2014, but no progress has been made in resolving its problems politically.

Despite global awareness of Gaza's horrific situation, Israel enjoys complete impunity for these crimes. Profiting from their actions, Israel's multi-billion dollar weapons industry showcases the cold-hearted reality of using asymmetric force against an occupied people. The persistence of orientalist indoctrination, still prevalent in media and politics, further contributes to this apathy.

Dr. Gilbert emphasized that showers of pity and financial aid from NGOs are counter-productive. He called for action instead of donations, which provide a false sense of accomplishment while distracting us from our true responsibility of pushing for political mobilization against the siege. To remember and reclaim the long-suffering history of apartheid that ravages Palestinian land, a serious self-examination is needed in the West, both politically and within the NGO community. In closing, Dr. Gilbert quoted the former President of Mozambique, Comrade Samora Machel: Solidarity is not charity but unity between allies fighting on different terrains towards the same objectives.

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The harrowing account of A Night in Gaza, recounted by Dr. Mads Gilbert, underscores the unbearable reality of the ongoing siege on Gaza.
The crisis in Gaza is a catastrophe that requires immediate action against the inhuman conditions imposed on its people.
Over the past eight years, Israel's unrelenting offensives in Gaza have resulted in the death of thousands of Palestinians, including children.
The brutality inflicted upon Palestinians in Gaza is well-documented and encompasses not just military atrocities but also daily conditions that restrict their freedom of movement.
International complacency in addressing the Israeli-led blockade and border closures in Gaza has crippled Palestine's infrastructure recovery efforts.
As a result, children in Gaza face severe malnutrition and anaemia, while hospitals struggle with electricity shortages.
In 2021 alone, over 1,400 civilians, including 500 children, lost their lives due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Despite "warning" bombings, many Palestinians were unable to evacuate their homes in time during attacks.
Israel's tactic of cutting off electricity supplies before attacks causes immense hardship for Gaza's hospitals.
The resilience of Palestinians has emerged as a beacon of hope amidst crushing despair, with children showing remarkable bravery and skill in helping their wounded family members.
Rescue workers, doctors, and nurses in Gaza have displayed extraordinary bravery, leaving their families during crises to save others and often facing attack from Israeli forces.
The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his shame at Gaza's plight in 2014, but no significant progress has been made in resolving its problems politically.
Israel enjoys complete impunity for its crimes in Gaza, profiting from the multi-billion dollar weapons industry that thrives on the use of asymmetric force against an occupied people.
The persistence of orientalist indoctrination in media and politics contributes to global apathy towards the situation in Gaza.
Dr. Gilbert advocates for action against the siege on Gaza, rather than charity or financial aid, and calls for a self-examination within the West, both politically and within the NGO community, to remember and reclaim the long-suffering history of apartheid that ravages Palestinian land.