“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.” — Ernest Hemingway, 1946

Hemingway was 18 years old when he volunteered to be an ambulance driver for WWI. He suffered physically and mentally from the horrors of war. As a novelist, he used his writing to show the criminality of the war.

The recent invasion of Gaza by Israel has unleashed a wave of genocidal suffering upon its men, women, and children. As bombs rain down and gunfire erupts, the streets of Gaza are filled with the sounds of destruction and despair. Homes are reduced to rubble, schools are shattered, and hospitals are overwhelmed with the injured and dying. In this densely populated enclave, nowhere is safe, and the fear is palpable.

The scale of the devastation raises critical questions about the proportionality of Israel’s response. The stated aim of dismantling terrorist infrastructure and ensuring security for Israeli citizens is overshadowed by the immense civilian toll. Children’s laughter is replaced by cries of pain, families are torn apart, and a generation’s hope is buried under debris. The stark disparity between the military might of Israel and the defenselessness of Gaza’s civilians cannot be ignored. The destruction of infrastructure, the blockade limiting essential supplies, and the targeted attacks on civilian areas highlight a grim reality that many argue veers into the realm of collective punishment.

As this human tragedy unfolds, the world’s response—or lack thereof—adds another layer of sorrow. International bodies and powerful nations offer statements of concern but take little concrete action to halt the bloodshed. The paralysis of the global community, marred by political interests and diplomatic inertia, allows the suffering to continue unabated. Humanitarian pleas are drowned out by the clamor of geopolitical strategy, and the people of Gaza are left to endure their agony in isolation.

The silence and inaction of the world stand in stark contrast to the cries for justice and humanity. The question lingers: how many more lives must be lost before the world chooses to act? Until then, the death toll rises, and the Strip remains a harrowing testament to the consequences of indifference.