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GAZA’S HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

“Children don’t grow up in Palestine.”

That is the answer of a child asked by a journalist about what he wants to be when he grows up. Upon seeing this video, I felt as if my heart were broken into a thousand tiny pieces. I turned my phone off and tried to forget about what I just saw. But the mere act of it made me even more guilty. I feel guilty that I have the privilege to turn away from my screen to avoid the monstrosities that are currently happening in Gaza, despite the inescapable reality of the children there. I feel guilty that while I am in the comfort of my own home, women and children in Gaza are suffering under the rubble of what was left of their homes. What can I do as someone who lives 9000 kilometers away from Gaza?

As a student studying Bachelor of Science in Technology Communication Management, I am trained to become an ethical communicator. The tagline "Advancing a Sustainable Future'' can be devoted to the SDGs promoted by the United Nations. But how can we, as a society, advance to a sustainable future if parts of the world are dismantled? If there are still oppressors and oppressed, if some people are forced to leave their homeland due to rising conflict, What is happening in Gaza impedes the progress of the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations. I should use what I have learned over the years in order to promote what is good for the people in Gaza. I might be far away from the conflict and not suffer any consequences from it. I am still affected because this is not a religious conflict at all; this is already a humanitarian issue.

“You don’t have to be a Muslim to support Palestine; you just have to be human.”

The attack on the people in Gaza is a humanitarian issue that opposes some, if not all, of the 17 SDGs promoted by the United Nations. In this blog, I will only focus on three sustainable goals: Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being; Goal #6: Clean Water and Sanitation; and, most importantly, Goal #16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza and How it Undermines SDG #3 Good Health and Well-Being

Children are the most innocent form of life to exist. They should be in school, playing with their friends, laughing, and experiencing a normal childhood. In Gaza, it is different. The children of Gaza cannot go to school because it has become a refugee camp for displaced families. At least four schools in Gaza suffered damage from Israeli attacks. The refugees taking shelter in these schools thought that it would be safe for them to stay there, but it seems that the IDF does not care for the rising numbers of civilian casualties. Hospitals, mosques, churches, temples, and schools are considered to be the safest places in the world, but in Gaza, people live in constant fear as they witness that everywhere they go, the catastrophe will follow them, and even the walls of hospitals, mosques, churches, temples, and schools cannot protect them from the airstrikes.

The United Nations’ goal to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages is undermined because of these monstrosities. In a place where almost half of the 2 million population are children, and every 15 minutes, a child is martyred, healthy lives and well-being seem to not matter. As for the children who survived the airstrike, they will be forever scarred and will suffer unfathomable physical and emotional consequences that even a grown adult will not be able to recover from.

How can we achieve a sustainable future if the children in Gaza lack assurance of even waking up safe and alive tomorrow? Children are the future of this world. We should speak up about this more, as it is the only way that we can send our help to them. The children of Gaza, who should be in school, are terrified and displaced. The easiest way to help them is to spread more awareness and factual information about this crucial humanitarian crisis. Even that act is the bare minimum, but for students like me who lack the capacity to financially aid and donate to the people of Gaza, it is my duty to communicate with those who have no opportunity to speak.

“In this world of information, ignorance is a choice.”

Gaza’s Struggle for Clean Water and Sanitation

It is not only the airstrikes and bullets that threaten the safety and well-being of the people of Gaza. Gaza’s source of water usually comes from pipelines in Israel, desalination plants on the Mediterranean Sea, and wells. When the conflict broke out in the wake of the Hamas attack, all of these water sources were cut off. Which brought even more serious harm to the people of Gaza. Access to clean water and sanitation is a basic human right recognized by the United Nations. That is why it is one of their goals to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. Which again is undermined by the conflict caused by the Israeli-Hamas attacks.

Aside from the fact that the human body needs water to survive, especially children and the elderly, It is also crucial for sanitation. The absence of clean water in a community can cause widespread infections and dysentery. An emergency physician at Columbia University, Dr. Tsion Firew, said that the leading cause of death for children not older than 5 is diarrheal disease caused by unclean water.

“Gaza is running out of water, and Gaza is running out of life,” said Philippe Lazzarini, chief of the U.N. agency for Palestinians.

Water is equivalent to life. Its importance is next to air. It is not only drinking water that Gaza needs but also sanitary water to aid the wounds of the people who were affected by the airstrikes. Most of them are children who were almost buried under rubble.

As the 'total siege' of Gaza continues, the already dire humanitarian situation continues to get worse, giving rise to soaring needs. With no way in for aid supplies and basic goods, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency warned yesterday that clean water is running out and people -- particularly young children - will soon start dying of severe dehydration.

(Save the Children Calls for a Ceasefire in Gaza as Casualties Soar and Water Runs Out - Occupied Palestinian Territory, 2023)

Will There be Peace and Justice for the People of Palestine?

All the living generations of the 20 families have been wiped from the civil registry, as Palestinians say. With their deaths, they brought with them a piece of Palestine’s history. May I remind you that this is not just mere statistics; these are the lives of real people. 20 family surnames will never be heard in Palestine anymore. This is ethnic cleansing.

An independent media platform, Raseef22, which focused on underrepresented communities such as women, ethnic and religious minorities, the young, and the destitute, posted on their Instagram platform a list of Palestinian families under threat of a potential end to their whole bloodline. These are some of the families and households that are currently facing annihilation as a result of the ongoing conflict. The following count of casualties is subject to change as there is still an ongoing effort to extract victims from the rubble.

Jamil Al-Za’anin’s family: 21 members killed, including 9 children.

The Abu Ubaid family: 20 members killed, including 7 children.

The Abu Qouta family: 19 members killed, including 10 children.

The Shabat family: 18 killed, comprising 13 family members (11 children, the youngest being one year old) and 5 from the neighbors.

Abu Zuhair Al-Naqib’s family: 16 members killed, including 5 children.

Abu Daqqa family: 18 members killed, including 7 children, one as young as a month old. Only 8-year-old Tala and her uncle survived. 

Abu Sameer Al-Qatnani’s family: 15 members killed, including the grandparents, parents, their wives, and all the grandchildren, totaling 4 children.

Nasser Shamlakh’s family: 14 members killed, including 3 children, the youngest being just 3 months old.

Abu Zuhair Al-Lahlam’s family: 14 members killed, some of whom were children (exact number of children remains unconfirmed as of yet).

Al-Madhoun family: 14 members killed, including 10 children.

Abu Hilal family: 12 members killed, including 3 children, the youngest being a newborn who had not yet to reach the age of 10 days, in addition to a fetus still in its mother’s womb, as well as 11 of the family’s neighbors, belonging to three different families.

Abu Rakab family: 7 members killed, including 5 children.

The family of those exiled as part of the Shalit deal, Salem Duweib, and his wife Islam Hamad, and their three children.

Abu Shaaban family: 6 members killed, including the husband, wife, and their four children.

This conflict is nothing new; it has been happening for 75 years. The people of Palestine have been enduring these past decades of suffering and oppression, and yet now that they have resisted the oppressor, the whole world looks at them as if they were the problem. They are only fighting for their land, for their Palestine. Is peace and justice only for white people? What makes Arab blood different and less important than the blood of the white oppressors? To promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, to provide access to justice for all, and to build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels, we must first acknowledge the ruthless reality that some of us still look down on the deaths of non-white, non-Christian lives. There will be no peace unless Palestine is free.

UNICEF PH is inviting the Filipino people to help the children in Gaza by donating small amounts. This small act will not alleviate the pain and suffering of the people in Gaza who have been affected by the crisis. But it will give them comfort to know that there are people around the world who care and that there are people 9000 kilometers away from them who listen. They are heard, supported, and cared for.

There are few celebrities who are in support of the people in Gaza, who are clearly oppressed. And there are even fewer celebrities who have bravely spoken for the welfare of the people there. 

@mosalah on Instagram

On October 18, 2023, Egyptian football player Mohamed Salah called out the world leaders and demanded that humanitarian aid be allowed to Gaza immediately.

As of today, October 22, the first humanitarian aid has entered Gaza from Egypt through the Rafa crossing. Only 20 trucks carrying medicine and food were allowed to cross, excluding water or fuel, which are highly needed in hospitals. Even this is not an achievement worth celebrating. There are 2 million people in Gaza, and 20 trucks of medicine and food will not suffice the whole population. What Gaza needs is a ceasefire and a humanitarian aid that is proportional and enough.

On October 22, 2023, a solidarity walk for Palestine was held in Cagayan de Oro City, starting from Rodelsa Circle and ending at the Amphitheater. It was led by the Muslim Youth Council of Cagayan de Oro City with the aim of promoting peace, empathy, and understanding among diverse communities.

'Our vision is to stand together in support of those affected by conflicts while extending a warm invitation to our non-Muslim brothers and sisters.This nonpartisan event has a dedicated focus on raising awareness about the Palestinian situation and advocating for peace, human rights, and a just resolution to the ongoing conflicts in the region. Participants are encouraged to express their solidarity through peaceful means, underlining our commitment to a better, more harmonious world.' SOURCE: Muslim Youth Council - Cagayan de Oro Facebook Page

On a global scale, thousands of protesters have rallied for the cause of the people in Palestine. Cagayan de Oro City is only one of the many cities that have taken to the streets to demand an end to the conflict between Israel and the Hamas group, which is the leading cause of the rising civilian casualties in the region.

Al Jazeera, a Qatari state-owned Arabic-language news television network, provided a list of the cities that have participated in a solidarity walk and protest for Palestine. The list below is subject to change as many solidarity walks and protests will take place soon.

Adelaide, Algiers, Amman, Athens, Auckland, Baghdad, Barcelona, Beirut, Berlin, Boston, Braband, Brasilia, Brisbane, Cairo, Calgary, Cambridge, Canberra, Cape Town, Caracas, Colombo, Copenhagen, Dallas, Damascus, Dearborn, Delhi, Dhaka, Doha, Diyarbakir, Dublin, Edinburgh, Edmonton, Geneva, Glasgow, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jakarta, Karachi, Kargil, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, Lahore, London, Los Angeles, Lucknow, Male, Manama, Manchester, Marawi City, Melbourne, Mexico City, Milan, Mississauga, Montreal, Mumbai, Nablus, Naples, New York City, Paris, Pittsburgh, Portland, Pune, Rabat, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Sanaa, Santiago, São Paulo, Seoul, Surakarta, Sydney, Tehran, The Hague, Thiruvananthapuram, Tokyo, Tucson, Turin, Vancouver, Washington DC.

AL JAZEERA | Demonstrators rally during a ‘Stand with Palestine’ march in solidarity with Gaza, in Dublin, Ireland, October 14, 2023 [Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters]

AL JAZEERA | Jordanians gather to express solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, in Amman, Jordan, October 13, 2023 [Alaa Al Sukhni/Reuters]

AL JAZEERA | Supporters of the Palestinian people hold a rally and march called a ‘Day of Action for Palestine’ as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, near the White House in Washington, DC, the United States, October 14, 2023 [Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters]

AL JAZEERA | Muslim women shout slogans during a rally supporting the Palestinians in Jakarta, Indonesia, October 15, 2023 [Dita Alangkara/AP photo]

AL JAZEERA | Thousands of Moroccans take part in a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, in Rabat, Morocco, October 15, 2023 [Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP photo]

AL JAZEERA | Demonstrators wave Turkish and Palestinian flags during a rally amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, in Istanbul, Turkey, October 15, 2023 [Dilara Senkaya/Reuters]

AL JAZEERA | Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest near the Israeli embassy in London, the United Kingdom, October 9, 2023 [Toby Melville/Reuters]

Advancing to a Sustainable Future means we all must act to turn the ongoing struggle in Gaza into a route to peace, justice, and prosperity. We can plant the seeds of sustainable development in this turbulent region by addressing the urgent requirements for good health, clean water, and strong institutions. It is a call to action and a reminder that lasting peace and international cooperation are necessary to end the cycle of hostilities and provide Gaza's residents with a better future.

As we aim to achieve each of the 17 sustainable development goals and as we advance into a sustainable future, let us not leave our Muslim brothers and sisters behind. In this time of crisis, it is not our sympathy that they need, but our actions. As a student, this is the least that I can do. I will never stop talking about the oppression in Gaza. I will never stop talking about the women and children in Gaza. As a TCM student, I will use my voice, to speak for the minorities in Gaza.

To promote Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being; Goal #6: Clean Water and Sanitation; and, most importantly, Goal #16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, raising awareness while respecting its complexity is a must. You can educate yourself and others about Gaza, sign petitions, and take part in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza now.

Sign and share the petition now!

Copy and paste the link: https://www.nrc.no/news/2023/october/ceasefirenow-open-call-for-an-immediate-ceasefire-in-the-gaza-strip-and-israel/

#CeasefireNOW

If you wish to read more about the seven-decade-long conflict between Israel and Palestine, feel free to check out the links below.

If you wish to be updated on the current happenings in Gaza, follow the press, advocates, and journalists on their Instagram account.

Motaz Azaiza: @motaz_azaiza

Al Jazeera: @aljazeeraenglish

Plestia Alaqad: @byplestia

Subhi: @sbeih.jpg

References BURAKOFF, M. (2023, October 17). Gaza's limited water supply raises concerns for human health. AP News. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-water-humanitarian-crisis-cfeabcda00fefdd03c2877495c4dcd09 Children in Gaza desperately need lifesaving support. (n.d.). UNICEF. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/children-gaza-desperate-need-lifesaving-support China says Israel's actions in Gaza are 'beyond self defense' as U.S. races to avert wider conflict. (2023, October 16). CNBC. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/16/china-says-israels-actions-in-gaza-have-gone-beyond-self-defense.html 47 Palestinian families erased from civil registry in Gaza under Israel's genocidal aggression. (n.d.). Palestinian News & Information Agency-WAFA. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/138295 Mhawesh, M. R. (2023, October 10). 'Why bomb schools?' Gaza families have no safe space amid Israeli attacks. Al Jazeera. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/10/10/why-bomb-schools-gaza-families-have-no-safe-space-amid-israeli-attacks Mhawesh, M. R. (2023, October 13). When a family dies under Israel's bombs, part of Gaza's history disappears. Al Jazeera. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/13/when-a-family-dies-under-israels-bombs-part-of-gazas-history-disappears Mohammad, L., & Jin, C. H. (2023, October 19). Children make up nearly half of Gaza's population. Here's what it means for the war. NPR. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://www.npr.org/2023/10/19/1206479861/israel-gaza-hamas-children-population-war-palestinians One Palestinian child in Gaza killed every 15 minutes by Israeli forces. (2023, October 16). Defense for Children International – Palestine. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://www.dci-palestine.org/one_palestinian_child_in_gaza_killed_every_15_minutes_by_israeli_forces Open Call for an Immediate Ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Israel to Prevent a Humanitarian Catastrophe and Further Loss of Innocent Lives - occupied Palestinian territory. (2023, October 18). ReliefWeb. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/open-call-immediate-ceasefire-gaza-strip-and-israel-prevent-humanitarian-catastrophe-and-further-loss-innocent-lives Save the Children calls for a ceasefire in Gaza as casualties soar and water runs out - occupied Palestinian territory. (2023, October 17). ReliefWeb. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/save-children-calls-ceasefire-gaza-casualties-soar-and-water-runs-out