Echoes Of The Crying Gaza: Gaza Events February-June 2024
- TheEarlyBard BHSEC
- Nov 2, 2024
- 13 min read
By: Liyana Hossain and Ruwayda Rahman
AARON BUSHNELL
Was it bravery or cowardness, heroism or foolishness? The public has numerous strong opinions on what Aaron Bushnell had done to himself on February 24, 2024.
A 25-year-old serviceman of the United States Air Force died after setting himself on fire outside the front gate of the Embassy of Israel in Washington D.C. According to the New York Magazine, seconds before Aaron lit himself on fire he “placed his phone on the ground to set up a livestream” and proceeded to shout “Free Palestine” while the gasoline he poured across his body rapidly ignited into flames.
Aarons's main motive for committing such a horrific and torturous act on himself was to “protest against the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.” With such an extreme level of protest, many people believed what he did was pointless and ineffective. In contrast, others now think of him as a hero and commend his dedication and courageousness. To fully understand his rationale for committing this horrendous act we should first look at his background. If this may properly justify whether what he did to himself was morally right or wrong.
As we know, he was a U.S. Air Force member, however, he was stationed at the Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio. He is originally from Massachusetts and joined the Air Force in 2020. Growing up Bushnell was an active member of a religious group called, “Community of Jesus,” where he had opinions that would come off as too extreme and too “conservative” for others. He eventually then left this committee in 2019. His friends say that during his lifetime he would “volunteer to hand out food and clothing for mutual aid groups.” and “attended events for socialist organizations.” From this, we can tell that he was very familiar with constant issues in the world and tried helping his community anytime he was able to.
Aaron Bushnell believed that the conflict between Gaza and Israel was to be considered genocide. Because of this belief of his, his last words ended up being the following, “I will no longer be complicit in genocide.”
Bushnell believed that the white privilege he had was pointless if there were millions of people in this world who were currently enduring even more pain than the way he had died. Although Bushnell's death left many devastated and shattered he had also “inspired so many to stand up for truth and justice.” As said in The Guardian by Bushnell's friends and family.
This extreme level of protest that Aaron Bushell had performed on himself raised awareness to many people about the current situation in Gaza, and how much of an issue it truly is. He opened a new door of awareness that wasn't an obligation for him to do so. Even though some people in this world now think of him as a hero, a person who shed light on the horrors in Gaza and raised awareness for these minorities, some now consider him a fool. Mentioning how him lighting himself on fire did not stop this mass death nor would it have ended if he didn't. However, what we can truly depict from this situation, that will not cause controversy to the public, is how dedicated he was. How much willpower did he need to have to sacrifice himself for the people suffering in Gaza? From this, is it visible that humanity is still alive in our world today? Or is it rather visible that foolishness like this can waste people’s time, and in this case even life as a whole?
Op-Ed: OUR YOUTH TAKING A STAND
In the midst of all this global chaos, the youth has decided to take things into their own hands. For several weeks there have been hundreds of protests on college campuses throughout the United States in the support and solidarity of Gaza. Some of the colleges that have been most recognized for student protesting are Columbia, Yale, Tufts, and New York University as well as Emerson College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The main goal that the students are advocating for during these protests is for their universities to, “separate themselves from companies advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza” as said in AP News.
The students studying at Columbia University are one of the many universities that are holding these Pro-Palestinian protests and have gained the most familiarity on social media. According to The New York Times, after nearly two weeks of protests, “police officers in riot gear made dozens of arrests.”
During these protests demanding a ceasefire, a few Jewish students on the campuses have called this form of public expression, “antisemitic,” making them “scared for their safety,” as reported by ABC News.
Now, on both sides, the feelings between each other are very understandable. However, what we can agree on is that the First Amendment of the United States “protects” our rights to openly express our views through protest. Hearing this again, can protesting be a form of threat? Or is it their “freedom of speech” to do so?
Many argue that university is a place to study and expand on your academic journey, making protesting seen as a waste of time. However, another perspective we can catch here is that college campuses are places to voice and articulate our own opinions without the fear of retaliation and censorship. A place in which we are free to stand by any side, and a way of learning more about ourselves while also standing on what feels morally right for you.
To add on, as protests on college campuses increase, they have also gotten the attention of the Palestinians, specifically children. They have even got “a message of support” from the children of Gaza, CNN says. Gazan children have made posters expressing their gratitude towards protestors standing up for them. Many kids were huddled together with signs while the background was littered with rubble, debris, and deceased humans covered in white cloth. They say with sincerity and tenderness, “We respect you, we hear you, we love you, thank you.”
While in the highest stakes of vulnerability, we can see that they still express their thankfulness towards the people who are not keeping them ignored. At the end of the day, even with the constant havoc that roams amongst us today, what we cannot deny is that our generation will certainly voice their opinions. The youth helping the youth we can certainly say.
THE GAZA STREET THAT NEVER SLEEPS
Gaza’s liveliest street, Al-Rasheed, stretches along the coast of the Gaza Strip. It is titled, “The Gaza Street that never sleeps,” by the Middle East Eye. However, one auspicious February 29, 2024, sudden bloodshed surged as citizens clamored for a basic necessity: flour. The Flour Massacre, as it is now being referred to, wounded at least 118 civilians, murdered and over 750 injured.
After weeks of persistent blockade imposed by the Israeli militia, it is no surprising fact that Gaza’s civilians have been brutally starved and malnourished. “Israel has been intentionally starving the Palestinian people in Gaza since 8 October. Now it is targeting civilians seeking humanitarian aid and humanitarian convoys,” as determined by a UN expert. “Israel must end its campaign of starvation and targeting of civilians.”
At the sight of 30 aid trucks, it was simply inevitable that the people rushed with hopes of obtaining whatever was possible with the simple hope of feeding themselves and their families. The Israeli army then opened fire on the civilians.
This is not the first time the IDF engaged in violence with humanitarian aid convoys, as stated by UN experts. “Israel has also opened fire on humanitarian aid convoys on several occasions, despite the fact that the convoys shared their coordinates with Israel.”
Ismail al-Ghoul, a journalist working with Al-Jazeera, had been a witness to the incident. He gruesomely detailed, “After opening fire, Israeli tanks advanced and ran over many of the dead and injured bodies.”
On one hand, the Israeli army claims that the 118 people killed were a result of a stampede, and the IDF had no part and were not complicit in their deaths. On the other hand, thousands of Palestinian eyewitnesses claim that the IDF was responsible and initiated fire into the crowd which resulted in panic and a deadly stampede.
ISRAELI CIVILIANS PROTEST BY DESTROYING AID
As hundreds of thousands of Palestinians continue to die of starvation, it seems as if Israeli protesters are not making this issue any better. The people living in Gaza who have not died due to famine have simply been relying on the humanitarian aid given by the UN. They are solely dependent on measly portions which they have to ration with the others also struggling to survive.
To make matters even worse for the Palestinians, “Israeli protesters blocked aid trucks destined for Gaza” on May 14th, 2024, according to BBC News. While also, “throwing food packages onto the road and ripping bags of grain open.”
The White House has noticed what these Israeli protesters have done and deemed their acts to be a “total outrage.” The main motive for these Israeli protests was for it to be seen as a form of threatening to bring back “Israeli hostages.”
Along with this, unverified footage has been shared on social media in which these protesters are seen stomping on boxes that are aid packages and dumping out all of their contents. Some videos even appear to show “vehicles being set on fire later in the evening,” however they have yet to verify and confirm this.
An Israeli protester who had been involved in the destruction of humanitarian aid for the Gazans has spoken up and given their justification to AFP news Agency. Hana Giat, 33 firmly responds by saying, "No food should go into Gaza" until Israeli hostages are returned "healthy and alive,” To add on with this reasoning they then continue by saying, “Blocking the trucks is an effective and practical step in which we shout that 'no aid passes until the last of the hostages returns.”
It seems to be that many different people have very vocal and articulative opinions about this which we can certainly deduce with what US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has to say. He tells us that the protestors' behaviors were “completely and utterly unacceptable" and how the White House was raising its concerns with "the highest level of the Israeli government.”
The people of Gaza are reliant solely on any international aid provided to them. Thousands of infants have lost their mothers leading to them not receiving the right amount of nutrition that is needed for their age leading them to be extremely malnourished. On top of this, Israeli protests are seen to be blocking the only way these civilians can somewhat still be able to survive.
Returning to the Israelis' justification for destroying Gaza’s aid: Is everyone in Gaza at fault for these Israeli hostages? Everyone, even including the infants and children? Everyone, even including the ill, elderly, and disabled? Why is it that when a small minority gets accused of such an act, the entire population of their nationality is to blame when seeking revenge? The entirety of a population will have to go through decades of brutal, ruthless, and traumatic lives simply because it is their nationality that is being targeted. How can something so simple, a title, “Palestinian” make someone immediately destined for death, failure, and sorrow?
Even though this topic has been immensely controversial for decades, the principles of what is seen to be morally right and wrong will always stay in place. No matter what situation it is being compared to. This is significant to see in today's world, on account of the difference of opinions we seem to see and hear daily.
RAFAH TENT MASSACRE
On May 7, Israeli troops proceeded to continue their ground offensive into Rafah, completely ignoring the several warnings against it. Amnesty says, “Over 1.5 million people, including 600,000 children, are at serious risk; more than 450,000 Palestinians have fled Rafah since Israel first issued unlawful ‘evacuation orders’ there on May 6.”
Many people on social media have initiated the “All eyes on Rafah” incentive, pushing the urge to direct our attention to the deadly circumstances currently in Rafah. As passionately detailed by Diem25, “More than a million Palestinians, forced into the ‘safe-zone’ of Rafah, are now meeting death… Israeli tanks, amassed by the Rafah crossing, perform target practice on tents while drones select more children for death.” By infiltrating the Rafah crossing, Israel has now obtained full control over the Gaza Strip– the only Palestinian terrain Israel hadn’t had complete access to prior. According to AlJazeera, the “Palestinian presidency said in a statement, accusing Israeli forces of “deliberately targeting” the tents of displaced people.” Most of the victims were displaced women and children who were targeted with “mass killing tools” while already being deprived of basic human necessities such as proper shelter, food, and water.
“Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri called the attack a “massacre”, holding the United States responsible for aiding Israel with weapons and money.” In response to these attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu simply called the civilian deaths in Rafah a “tragic mistake” Shown with no remorse, sorrow, or regret.
Devastating to hear, “The Wafa news agency, citing the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), said the dead included women and children, with many “burned alive” inside their tents.” A video circling social media apps such as Instagram and X shows a headless child being carried by another civilian completely distraught. It is vital to know that these tents were what the Palestinians considered to be a “safe zone” in which they could seek medical help and at least try to get their nutrition and sleep.
FINAL WORD
We must ask: Just how much is enough?
How many more lives must be taken, how many more families and homes destroyed, and how many more children must be left traumatized until it’s understood that relief in Gaza is desperately needed? There is little to no improvement regarding the crises in the Gaza Strip, and things seem to be only getting worse.
Bill Frelick, the director of the Refugee and Migrant Rights Division and works in the Human Rights Watch says, “Most of Gaza’s population has been displaced, many ordered to evacuate one area only to be bombed, starved and forced to flee again– and again. More than 1 million people who have fled to Rafah on Gaza’s far southern border with Egypt live in fear as an Israeli military ground operation on Rafah and another mass evacuation looms.”
As weeks turn into months, and months will eventually make it into years, it is inevitable for such topics to become ignored and neglected by society. It is inevitable for people to become desensitized and prioritize things that affect them personally over the happenings of Gaza. However, while the days seem to fly by for us, the mortality rate in Gaza continuously rises in substantial numbers without pause. Through the privilege of living in a first-world country, we can easily scroll past the haunting videos and images of Palestinian infants burned till their skin has become charred and the color of ebony. Unfortunately, this opportunity of blissful ignorance given to us isn’t a choice for those currently experiencing it.
We are currently living in a society that in itself feels dystopian and constantly dictated. While under the oath of democracy, we may be able to voice our opinions and thoughts (though heavily policed), they seem to have futile effects in the grand scheme of things. On the other hand, those with more political power have more preeminence and value toward their opinions, and therefore decisions are executed based only on them.
This makes advocating for what is morally right even more difficult and imperative due to the suppression and censorship of opinions that are labeled as “threatening” for being alternative or different from mainstream views. Especially when in regards to sensitive opinions like this one which relates to the active mass killings of an ethnic group of people. This may demotivate the youth specifically, and stop them from standing up to what they feel is right.
But the consequences of silence are grave, and history repeats itself. The Palestinians aren’t the first victims of dictated ethnic cleansing, and history has narrated many more similar instances.
Silence allows the vicious cycle of massacres being committed without remorse, future generations apologizing for the actions of their ancestors, pitiful and flimsy reparations paid to the victims, and a complete lack of accountability or measures taken to in order prevent the reoccurrence of said cycle.
The people of today look back on history and ask why; why hadn’t anyone had the moral inclination or sense of responsibility to stop it from happening? Where was their sense of justice?
And yet, Gaza asks the people of today to answer those very same questions.
So we must understand that our voices matter and we must take and articulate our opinions to their greatest advantage. In our world today, many are seen to be blinded by the complex concepts of nationalism and arrogance that cloud their integrity and morals. There seems to be no room for empathy when held against one’s personal vindication.
But let us reject that mindset, and instead seek enlightenment to hope to understand the people and the stories of the Gaza Strip.
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