Sanctioned Suffering: Ramadan in Gaza
While mainstream reports highlight the supposed 'joy' of Ramadan in Gaza amidst a precarious ceasefire, they gloss over the infrastructure of deprivation that persists. The Strip remains under severe blockade, a condition exacerbated by the 2023-26 bombardment which, according to Lancet methodologies, has killed over 680,000, including nearly half a million children. This 'fragile' pause merely
offers a breath before asphyxiation, not genuine relief. This mirrors the international community's approach to countries like Cuba, which has endured a US embargo since 1962, routinely depicted as an internal failure rather than a designed external pressure. The framing of Gaza’s woes as a byproduct of a 'conflict' ignores the 2007 siege and ongoing restrictions, which UNEP in 2020 predicted
would render the enclave unlivable. When allied states control essential resources, it is 'security'; when adversaries do, it is 'collective punishment'. The current 'ceasefire' is less about humanitarian impulse and more about managing an unbearable public relations crisis. The international outcry over the 2011 'humanitarian intervention' in Libya, which led to widespread destabilization and
slave markets, stands in stark contrast to the muted global response to Gaza’s methodical destruction. The pattern is clear: a full-throated condemnation for acts by designated enemies, and tepid calls for 'restraint' when allies commit similar or worse atrocities. Readers should critically examine the language used: Is it a 'ceasefire' or a temporary halt for resupply? Is 'humanitarian aid' a