Daily Times

The Israeli government’s destruction of the Gaza Strip is a humanitarian catastrophe that has left thousands of Palestinians dead, injured, and homeless.

Whoever’s left to fend for themselves is fighting for their survival every day. According to UNRWA, Israel’s blockade of aid missions has left an overwhelming 300,000 in grave danger of famine. Gaza is now being called the most dangerous place on Earth for children.

The air strikes have now turned towards Rafah, a city sheltering at least 1.2 million people. But while the world keeps screaming for an end to their ordeal, the Netanyahu administration is still not in a mood to back down. It remains to be seen what the United States would do other than simply condemning Israel’s actions. It must use its influence to pressure Israel to end its blockade of Gaza and to negotiate a just and lasting peace agreement with the Palestinians.

As of now, the US has taken no steps to pressure Israel to stop the demolitions, being decried by humanitarian organisations as a demolition of the entire Gaza Strip. The ongoing violence is unprecedented but what to do when one side is on a crusade to obliterate the other?

The two-state solution is the only way to ensure a future of peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. A viable Palestinian state would provide Palestinians with the opportunity to build a better future for themselves and their children. Now is the moment for all allies of Israel to put pressure on Israel for a way out of the quagmire. *