The Inhumanity Of Gaza And Palestinians

The people of Gaza are enduring a catastrophe that defies words. Nearly 500,000 souls face the merciless grip of starvation, disease, and relentless violence. Among them, over 71,000 children under the age of five stand on the brink of death, victims of acute malnutrition that steals their childhoods and crushes their futures. This is not just a humanitarian crisis; it is a profound human tragedy unfolding before the world’s eyes. This report sheds light on the devastating facts, personal testimonies, and urgent calls for action needed to save lives and restore hope.

Every day, 28 children die in Gaza, robbed of their innocence and their right to live. Since the beginning of the conflict, an estimated 17,000 children have been killed and 33,000 injured. The hunger gripping Gaza is suffocating: nearly 500,000 people face starvation and acute malnutrition. Diseases ravage the population—diarrhea, pneumonia, measles, meningitis—killing those already weakened by hunger and lack of medical care. The water crisis is catastrophic, with 95 percent of households lacking access to safe and adequate water. Children are being orphaned in staggering numbers—more than 40,000—and 17,000 have been separated or lost from their families.

Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, a trauma surgeon who risked his life volunteering in Gaza, describes hospitals overwhelmed by suffering and death. On one morning alone, he performed up to 10 surgeries—a feat unheard of in normal times—while the sounds of bombs echoed nearby. He witnessed a surgical ward bombed hours after saving a teenage boy’s life, a cruel reminder of how no place is safe. Only 4 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain functional, many operating with minimal resources and in improvised conditions. The relentless attacks on medical facilities destroy the last refuge for the wounded and sick.

Anthony Aguilar, a retired US Army Green Beret, gave testimony about the horrifying conditions civilians face when seeking food. He witnessed Israeli forces firing rifles, mortars, and tanks into unarmed crowds waiting for aid. Contractors like him, often poorly trained and acting under military command, watched helplessly as innocent people were shot. He told the story of Amir, a malnourished boy who walked nearly 9 kilometers to get food, only to be killed by gunfire moments after reaching safety. Since May 2025, at least 1,000 deaths have been reported near aid distribution sites, turning what should be places of hope into scenes of tragedy.

Journalist Bisan Owda captured the desperation felt by Gazans by likening their daily struggle for food to a real-life version of the deadly TV series Squid Game. Civilians face sniper fire, deadly crushes, and chaos just to access limited aid. This chilling metaphor reveals the brutal reality of survival in Gaza—a deadly game where the stakes are life and death.

The combined physical and psychological suffering in Gaza is overwhelming. A survey of more than 400 Gazans conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 revealed that 72.7 percent suffer from moderate to severe depression, 65 percent from moderate to severe anxiety, and an astonishing 83.5 percent meet the criteria for probable post-traumatic stress disorder. Those who lost family members or witnessed violence endure even higher levels of mental distress. Internally displaced persons experience nearly 99 percent rates of depression and anxiety, showing how trauma permeates every layer of society. Over 1 million children urgently require mental health support.

At the same time, malnutrition is ravaging the population and fueling this health crisis. Since October 2023, at least 154 deaths have been attributed to malnutrition, including 89 children under five. Starvation strips the body of the strength to fight infections like pneumonia and sepsis, which have become leading causes of death. Children who survive face stunted growth, irreversible cognitive damage, and lifelong health complications that may affect future generations. The average daily admission of children aged six months to five years for acute malnutrition treatment has soared to over 5,100 cases per month, painting a grim picture of a population in desperate need.

The devastating reality of hunger, disease, and trauma creates a vicious cycle where physical weakness feeds psychological despair and vice versa. The mental wounds inflicted by this crisis are as real and urgent as the physical ones.

The United Nations Security Council has recognized this catastrophic situation, describing Gaza’s children as a generation traumatized by nearly 470 days of relentless conflict. Between March 18 and March 20, 2025, 506 Palestinians were killed, including 200 children and 112 women. The widespread use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas is condemned as probable violations of international humanitarian law.

The UN Secretary-General has urgently called for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access, warning that without fuel, hospitals will shut down, ambulances will stop, and water will remain contaminated. More than 2 million children cannot attend school due to destruction and displacement.

Gaza stands on the brink of total humanitarian collapse. The daily death of 28 children is not just a number but a profound moral outrage. The unyielding assault on civilians, compounded by starvation, water scarcity, disease, and mental trauma, threatens the future of an entire population.

Immediate action is essential: an end to the violence, guaranteed safe corridors for aid, protection for medical personnel and facilities, mental health programs, and rebuilding of essential infrastructure. The children and families of Gaza deserve not death, but life. They deserve dignity, safety, and a chance to hope again.