Mustafa Barghouti (on the right side of the image)
Image credit- Middle East Eye

The unwavering resolve of Palestinians in Gaza, and to some extent in the West Bank, is a testament to their resilience in the face of immense hardship. The sentiment echoing from Gaza is stark and resolute: “If it reaches that point, we will die here and not leave.” This declaration, made by Mustafa Barghouti on behalf of the Palestinians, reveals the depth of their determination to remain on their land, regardless of the consequences.

This spirit is not merely rhetoric. Barghouti recounts a conversation with medical teams working tirelessly in Gaza, providing care to 200,000 people each month. These medical professionals, dispersed throughout the region, have endured displacement before—forced to move from the north to the south during previous conflicts. Yet now, they express a firm refusal to be uprooted again. If war erupts once more, they will stay and face whatever comes. They would rather die than abandon their homes and land.

This powerful sense of belonging and resistance is pervasive in Gaza. Despite incredibly difficult living conditions, people are engaged in the arduous process of rebuilding. They are utilizing every available resource to reconstruct their lives and communities. Barghouti expresses his amazement at their extraordinary resilience, highlighting the strength and determination of the Palestinian people. They are not merely surviving; they are actively striving to rebuild, reclaiming a sense of normalcy amid devastation.

This spirit of defiance—this refusal to be displaced—stands as a powerful symbol of their enduring connection to their homeland. It speaks to a deep-seated belief in their right to remain, a right they are willing to defend with their very lives.

News source- Middle East Eye

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A Palestinian man sitting on a pile of rubble which used to be his home.
Image from- Al Jazeera 

As families return to their neighborhoods in Gaza amid a devastating humanitarian crisis, they encounter a landscape irrevocably altered by conflict. The region’s infrastructure has been crippled, leading to widespread catastrophe. Residents face severe hardships, including homelessness, food shortages, lack of clean water, and limited medical care.

For many, the greatest challenge is not just rebuilding homes but fighting for the essentials of life. The struggle for survival has become an everyday reality as families navigate unthinkable conditions.

Medical Assistance Amid Crippling Infrastructure

Organizations like UNICEF are on the front lines, striving to meet the overwhelming health and wellness needs of the population. In response to the crisis, UNICEF has intensified efforts to supply hygiene kits and repair water pipelines.

Meanwhile, UNRWA has established three emergency medical clinics since the ceasefire began. These facilities serve as lifelines for thousands suffering from both pre-existing and new health issues.

The clinics address a range of urgent needs, including:

• Pregnant women in need of medical care
• Individuals with chronic diseases like diabetes
• A surge in requests for psychosocial support
• Nutritional services for malnourished populations

Efforts to provide critical medical care come at a time when hospitals are either destroyed or barely functioning. Compounding the catastrophe is the escalating crisis surrounding clean water and sanitation.

The Escalating Risk of Disease

With Gaza’s infrastructure in ruins, the risk of disease outbreaks has dramatically increased, especially among vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. Harsh winter conditions exacerbate these difficulties, leaving families in dire need of every basic resource. Many now reside in makeshift tents, often in inhospitable locations, struggling with severe food and basic hygiene shortages.

One resident shared: “I came back here to find nowhere to live… We are here, 20 families in 20 tents… There are no toilets and no places to take showers.” Such testimonies shed light on the harsh realities faced by those whose lives have been completely upended.

Despite the brief reprieve provided by the ceasefire, organizations warn that without sustained humanitarian assistance, the situation will only continue to deteriorate. The struggle for survival in Gaza is far from over—a somber reminder of the urgent need for global support and intervention.

News Source- Al Jazeera

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The medical situation in Gaza has become overwhelmingly desperate.

• Sick and injured individuals, including children, must obtain special permission to seek medical assistance outside the region.
• Only 50 out of the 150 patients who require evacuation for treatment are currently being accepted daily.
• Over 2,000 individuals in urgent need of evacuation remain in Gaza.
• An estimated 2,000 patients require specialized medical treatments that the local facilities cannot provide.
• Families are facing impossible decisions regarding who can leave for medical care. For example, many parents are forced to decide which of their children can receive treatment. Heart-wrenching personal accounts illustrate the emotional strain that families encounter when navigating the medical system under these restrictions:

One mother recounted, “My son has cancer. I’ve tried to go with my son, but the Israelis rejected my request.” 

A grandmother expressed her despair, “My granddaughter suffers from Leukemia. I feel extremely sad because I will not see her for some time.” 

The situation in Gaza persists under the looming shadow of a shaky ceasefire. And the reality remains grim for the majority. The desperate pleas from families, combined with the harsh limitations imposed on medical evacuations, paint a bleak picture of health care accessibility in Gaza.

The ongoing dramatic limitations mean that hope is dwindling for many, and most people in Gaza have no hope of getting the treatment they need. Addressing this humanitarian crisis is not merely a matter of policy but a pressing moral obligation to protect vulnerable lives and ensure access to necessary medical help.

This intricate blend of despair, resilience, and dashed hopes underlines the urgency for change in medical access protocols in Gaza, allowing for improved pathways to care and healing.

News source- Al Jazeera

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Image from- Al Jazeera

In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli military has completed its withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor. This strategic move, part of a wider ceasefire agreement between the two parties, marks a pivotal change in the dynamics of movement within the Gaza Strip. The Netzarim Corridor, now monitored by US and Egyptian security personnel, serves as a crucial link between North and South Gaza, allowing for increased traffic of both Palestinians and goods.

The Current Situation at the Netzarim Corridor

The atmosphere on the ground showcases the urgency and activity resulting from the removal of the military presence. Here are some key observations:

• More trucks and vehicles are entering the corridor, leading to long queues at inspection points.
• Movement through the inspection point is notably slow, indicating a surge in people eager to cross freely between the northern and southern regions of Gaza.
• Previously, this area functioned as a military zone, approximately 6 km wide, which saw the destruction of homes and the establishment of military bases following Israel’s control.

The Shift from Military Control to Civilian Use

The Netzarim Corridor had been a focal point for military operations, as articulated by sources familiar with the matter. Key points regarding its transformation include:

• Activities such as heavy artillery shelling from the now-evacuated military base targeted areas, like Jabalia refugee camp.
• After the withdrawal, Israeli forces repositioned themselves in a buffer zone approximately 700 meters deep into Gaza, which encircles 32% of the total area.

Social and Economic Implications

The change in control has crucial implications for the residents of Gaza. The following social and economic shifts are evident:

• Residents can now travel without the restrictions that had been in place for approximately 15 months, promoting mobility across the divided strip.
• Increasing traffic indicates that families can access resources, visit relatives, and reclaim their previous livelihoods.
• Many displaced Palestinians are returning north, highlighting the human cost of the conflict and the desire for normalcy.  
   

The withdrawal of the Israeli military from the Netzarim Corridor signifies a new chapter for the Gaza Strip. As the region transitions from military occupation to civilian oversight, the enduring effects of the conflict remain evident. The scene on the ground reflects the hope of Palestinians for renewed life and opportunity.

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We always demand, stand and pray for the justice of the innocent Palestinian lives. From the animals who lacked speech to the kids who couldn’t speak, each life killed unjustly shall receive justice. If our hearts can feel sad for California, why can’t it feel bad for the innocent Palestinians?

News source- Quds News Network via X

Dedicating this heartfelt poem to dear Diana Khallah and every child of Palestine.

Another twilight’s gone, Mother 

Your child saunters behind 

Late winter serves icy air

Whispers eerie tune to my ears

Another meal is cooked, Mother

Cabbage in the prior night’s broth

I bear a wishful tongue

Posh delicacy it longs

Another Hope knit, mother

Your yarns are though so thin

Our anorexic legs fall off track.

This place is of tires and engines

Another daughter find, Mother 

My soul might pass through the roof

Drift me away after I am no more

Burial costs, people are aloof.

– Alisha

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Monday’s attack comes amid a diplomatic push for a deal to end the 15-month-old war in Gaza and return Israeli hostages home and may pose another obstacle to sealing such a deal before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in the settlement where the attack took place, called for an urgent cabinet meeting “to discuss a shift in strategy and to genuinely eradicate terrorism.”

Smotrich, on the far right of Israeli politics, has for years called for Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank, which is land that Palestinians want for a future state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to bring the perpetrators and anyone who aided them to justice.

“No one will be spared,” he posted on X.

There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian authorities in the West Bank.

Hamas, the militant group which has run the Gaza Strip and has a presence in the West Bank, praised the attack as a “heroic response against the occupation’s continued crimes (including) the war of genocide in Gaza.” But it did not claim responsibility.

The West Bank has been transformed by the rapid growth of Jewish settlements since Netanyahu returned at the head of a far-right nationalist coalition two years ago. During that time, a surge in settler violence has led to US sanctions.

Since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel that triggered the war in Gaza, the violence in the West Bank has spiraled, with hundreds of Palestinians and dozens of Israelis killed.

‘Act forcefully’
Israel’s defense minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the military to “act forcefully” in response to Monday’s attack.

Israeli Army Radio said the military had imposed a cordon around all villages in the area to search for the suspects, who it believes fled to a nearby Palestinian village.

MDA said two women in their 60s and a man around 40 years old were pronounced dead at the scene, while eight passengers were wounded including a 63-year-old male bus driver who is in serious condition.

Hamas spokesman Abu Ubaida said in a post on Telegram that “Israel will never enjoy security” unless the Palestinian people also have security.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have settled in the West Bank since Israel captured the territory in a 1967 war. Most countries consider the settlements illegal, although Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.

Palestinian security forces moved into Jenin, in the northern West Bank, last month in a move they say is aimed at suppressing armed groups of “outlaws” who have built up a power base in the city and its adjacent refugee camp.

On Sunday, Israeli forces killed a 37-year-old man in a town south of Jenin after opening fire on his home, while a 17-year-old was killed in an Israeli raid in Askar camp in Nablus, according to Palestinian officials.

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