Palestinian Artwork by @Gwawi_art on Instagram
After 52 days of genocide, there have been over 20,031 martyrs, thousands of homes destroyed, over 1.3 million people displaced, and thousands more injured in Gaza, Palestine.
A ‘four-day truce agreement’ has been negotiated by Egypt and Qatar and confirmed between Israel and Hamas.
Conditions of this truce include that fighting pauses on both sides, 300 trucks of humanitarian aid are allowed to be distributed without exception to all areas of Gaza, as well as freedom of movement for Palestinians in Gaza.
As part of the truce, Israel has agreed to release 150 Palestinian women and children held hostage in Israeli captivity, in exchange for 50 Israeli hostages.
While the truce was agreed to start on Nov. 23, Israel pushed it back to start Nov. 24, 7:00 AM local time. This push-back gave the Israeli Occupation Forces more time to commit more massacres and war crimes. Citizens in Gaza dread the night before a ‘ceasefire’ because that’s when bombings increase and become more sporadic.
While originally the pause was to end Nov. 28, at 5:00 AM (GMT) as of recent, a two-day extension of the “pause” has been issued and will end 5:00 AM (GMT) on Nov. 30.
On the first day of the truce, 13 Israeli hostages were released from Hamas custody while 39 Palestinian women and children were released from Israeli custody.
The youngest Palestinian hostage released was 14 years old.
Celebrations erupted in Palestinian cities of Ramallah, Nablus, and Jerusalem, with fireworks, hugs from loved ones, public prostations to praise God, and tears of joy. Liberated child hostages reunited with their mothers and liberated women reunited with their families. Hope has ignited for those still in Israeli custody and those still waiting for the release of their loved ones.
This is not the first prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel. In 2006, Hamas fighters kidnapped Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, from his army base stationed near Gaza, and held him in captivity for five years.
In 2011, Israel agreed to release over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit. 280 of those prisoners released were serving life-sentences. This historic prisoner swap was called “Wafaa Al-Ahrar” in Arabic which translates to “faithful to the free.”
While this truce is a slight step in the right direction, it is simply not enough. Palestinians in Gaza will barely get to relax for a few days before going back to hearing bombs dropping around them. These few days of ‘peace’ will be filled with immense anxiety, fear, and paranoia.
Palestinians do not deserve just mere breadcrumbs from their oppressors. This truce does not excuse the killings of over 20,031 Palestinians, half of which were children, as well as tearing families apart.
Some speculate that this period of ‘peace’ was strategically placed during the Thanksgiving weekend. The colonizers believed if they ‘graced’ the Palestinians with a temporary ‘ceasefire’ that the world would forget about the genocide occuring and stop their protests. Much to their surprise, the world did not forget.
On Nov. 23, the Thanksgiving Macy’s Parade was disrupted by thousands of citizens protesting colonialism and genocide. Some protestors went as far as to glue their hands onto the city streets to show their support and solidarity with the Palestinians and shut down the parade. Protestors and allies were met with police brutality and some were arrested.
I salute those devoted to this cause and fighting for justice, not just for Palestine, but all around the world for places such as Congo, Sudan, Tigray, to the Uyghur Muslims in China, and the Indigenous People of Turtle Island. We are not free until all of us are free.
I would also like to pay tribute to the brave and fearless journalists and doctors on the ground in Gaza, such as Motaz Azaiza, Plestia AlAqad, Bisan Owda, Dr. Gassan Abu Sitta, Dr. Hammam Alloh, Abod Battah, Hind Khoudary, Ali Jadallah, Saleh Aljafarawi, and countless others that I may fail to remember and mention.
Motaz Azaiza, a 24-year-old photojournalist from Deir Al Balah, Gaza, has lost over 30 members of his family at the start of the aggressions on Gaza as well as friends. Azaiza has been documenting the Gaza Genocide since Oct. 7, and has been targeted by the IOF for exposing their warcrimes to the world. As of Nov. 22, Azaiza has been named the “Best Man Of The Year” by GQ Middle East.
Other Gazan journalists documenting Israeli war crimes such as AlAqad, Owda, Khoudary, Aljafarawi, and Jadallah are also being targeted by the IOF. As a result, AlAqad has made the difficult decision to flee Gaza, out of safety for her family.
Dr. Hammam Alloh, a 33-year-old Palestinian doctor, was assassinated during Israeli airstrikes on Nov. 11. Despite receiving evacuation orders by the IOF, Dr. Alloh stayed behind in the hospital saying, “You think I went to medical school and for my postgraduate degrees for a total of 14 years so I think only about my life and not my patients?”
A true hero, may he rest in peace.
I would also like to pay tribute to Ru’a Rimawi, a young Palestinian doctor from Beit Rima, a village in the Ramallah district, whose two brothers, Jawad and Thafer Rimawi, were martyred one year ago on Nov. 29, 2022, may they rest in peace. Rimawi is steadfast in raising awareness for her murdered brothers and the Palestinian cause.
We will never forget, never forgive, and never give up.
There is no ‘pause’ in genocide; You end a genocide. We must continue to fight for justice.
Glory to our martyrs. Healing to our injured. Freedom for our hostages.
Free Palestine.
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