In a world full of distractions, my heart always returns to Palestine and the tragedy unfolding there. Recently, I saw a video of a young girl from Gaza, no older than 9 or 10, walking barefoot along a dusty, war-torn road. She was carrying her baby sibling, both of them alone, with no family to guide them. The girl’s exhausted face broke my heart. It was clear that she had been thrust into a situation no child should ever endure, possibly orphaned by the ongoing genocide.

I couldn’t help but wonder what that little girl was thinking as she trudged forward, drained and defeated. Her eyes seemed to ask, Why is this happening to us? What have we done to deserve this? All children deserve a chance at life, a chance to go to school, and to be loved and cared for, yet Palestinian children are trapped in a living hell with no food, no water, no hospitals, and no families.

As I watched more of these horrendous videos documenting the genocide, I asked myself, How is this still happening, despite worldwide protests, international war crime judgements, and condemnation? In my search for answers, I came to realise the deep-rooted trauma driving Zionist actions. They frequently invoke phrases like “anti-Semitism” and “self-defence” to justify the oppression of Palestinians, often pointing to the Holocaust an undeniably tragic and horrific event.

However, the belief that they are entitled to Palestinian land, by any means necessary, is unacceptable. When you compare the atrocities committed by the Nazis during the Holocaust to the current actions against the Palestinians, chilling similarities emerge. I know I am not alone in seeing these parallels.

It feels as though we’ve been deceived and gaslit about Palestine for decades. Mainstream narratives often focus solely on events post October 7th, framing the continued genocide as necessary because those left in Gaza are labelled as terrorists. This narrative is not only misleading but dangerously dehumanising.

I recently watched an interview on the BBC where an Israeli settler celebrated the destruction in Gaza, suggesting that neighbouring countries should accept the remaining Palestinian people as refugees. I was stunned by this level of detachment and delusion as if Palestinians wanted to be ethnically cleansed and displaced from their homeland.

This dehumanisation is deeply troubling. It’s heartbreaking to witness how the Palestinian people have been stripped of their humanity in the eyes of many, to the point where empathy is absent. I’ve written other blog posts to expand on these points, and I encourage you to read them, reflecting on the narratives between the lines.

What gives me hope, however, is the global response of people protesting, lobbying their governments, and raising awareness online. Without this international solidarity, it would be easy to feel like giving up, as every day brings more pain and suffering without a clear resolution in sight.

The United Nations has failed the Palestinian people, and those responsible will carry that shame for the rest of their lives. The image I’ve shared here represents hope in humanity, and right now, the people of Palestine need all of our hope and support.