It has been one year since Israel launched its latest phase of the genocide on Palestinians. The entire world knew this date was fast approaching, and yet the genocide is still ongoing. Indiscriminate attacks on civilians are now devastating the region at large. Whilst many have watched this devastation unfold online, safe and detached, entire families have been wiped out, with schools and hospitals reduced to rubble.
Honi Soit unequivocally condemns the rhetoric that distorts and diminishes the suffering of Palestinians. We also note that the genocide against Palestinians began in 1948 with the Nakba (Catastrophe). The current genocide cannot be viewed in isolation.
An Open Letter From American Medical Professionals Who Served In Gaza on October 2 2024 stated that “it is likely that the death toll from this conflict is already greater than 118,908”. This not only corroborates claims made by the medical journal the Lancet back in July, but indicates that we may be underestimating the level of human and material destruction as it remains difficult to recover bodies and report all deaths.
The Hamas attacks occurred on October 7 2023 and Israel’s disproportionate response of collective punishment began soon after. What many still hesitate to label as a genocide, was raised to new heights in Israel’s relentless bombing of the Gaza strip which did not differentiate between civilian and militant.
On October 7, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to “operate forcefully everywhere” in Gaza. The genocidal intent of Israel was made abundantly clear on October 16 when Netanyahu told the Knesset that this is “a struggle between the children of light and the children of darkness, between humanity and the law of the jungle.”
On October 9, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declared that Israel was “imposing a complete siege on Gaza. No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel…We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly….Gaza won’t return to what it was before. We will eliminate everything…It will take weeks or even months, we will reach all places.”
On October 12, President Isaac Herzog said the following of the Palestinian people: “It’s an entire nation out there that is responsible. It’s not true this rhetoric about civilians not aware, not involved. It’s absolutely not true. … and we will fight until we break their backbone.”
One year on, we have extensive documentation of the ongoing genocide. South Africa collected statements made by Israeli officials to build their case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Moreover, for the first time in history, we have first-hand accounts of the destruction and violence streamed live by journalists and civilians on the ground.
As confirmed by the Committee to Protect Journalists, Israel is now responsible for the “record journalist death toll”. Journalists play an essential role in holding power to account. When reporting from war zones, journalists are afforded protection under international law. Yet amidst the devastation in Gaza, journalists continue to be targeted for doing their jobs.
In Australia, discourse has diverted into whether the October 6 and 7 Palestine protests are celebrating the October 7 attacks.
Why is it that the condemnation of Palestinian death has to be preceded by the question: “do you condemn the deaths of Israeli civilians?”
Not only is this dismissive of Palestinian suffering, but makes it seem as though Palestinian deaths only matter in relation to Israeli deaths: that Israeli deaths must be mourned before Palestinian deaths are even considered.
When Netanyahu attends the United Nations and delivers a speech saying, “…Israel seeks peace… yearns for peace. Israel has made peace and will make peace again. Yet we face savage enemies who seek our annihilation, and we must defend ourselves against them”, what he really means is “de-escalation through escalation.”
When Netanyahu says, “These savage murderers, our enemies, seek not only to destroy us, but they seek to destroy our common civilization and return all of us to a dark age of tyranny and terror,” Israel’s genocidal intent is clear.
Killing Palestinians while claiming to fight Hamas, killing as many Lebanese as possible while claiming to destroy Hezbollah: this is Israel’s “peace.” Unfurling Zionist plans for a ‘Greater Israel’ before the UN? This is Israel’s “peace.” Dehumanising an entire population with relentless political dogma? This is Israel’s “peace.”
When Netanyahu says, “We don’t seek to resettle Gaza. What we seek is a demilitarised and de-radicalised Gaza”, he is well aware of his statement’s insinuations. He is well aware this will not happen as long as there is an occupation and siege imposed on Palestinians.
When Netanyahu says, “we will not rest until the remaining hostages are brought home too,” he is all too aware that it has been a year and not all the hostages have been brought home.
Palestinians have heard the protracted silence from the ‘international community’, and know that their pleas for salvation are falling on deaf ears. Do we need to mark 100 years of the Nakba for it to sink in that Palestinians deserve a homeland, a life of dignity, and an existence free from dehumanisation?
Will we continue to mark 12 months, 18 months, 24 months since October 7? For how long can this be sustained? How can Palestinians keep living as if they are non-human beings?
And now, threats of “Beirut and southern Lebanon [being] turn[ed] into… Gaza” made by Israeli officials are currently unfolding.
Words are not enough and will never be.
Until Palestinian liberation, we must continue to record the atrocities and war crimes committed in the hope that when we and future generations look back and commemorate however many years of the genocide, they know that the world stood by, watching.
From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. Hands off Lebanon, hands off Gaza, hands off the West Bank.
