Opinion | Israel-Hamas War: Devastation Continues, Hostages Are Still Held Captive

A year after the conflict began, life in Israel may appear normal, but Gaza, the epicenter, is devastated with women and children, bearing maximum brunt.

Truth is the first casualty of war; women and children are the second. That remains true for any conflict, be it the one involving Israel and Hamas, Russia and Ukraine, or the devastation spreading in other parts of West Asia. One year ago, Hamas fighters stormed Israel and surprised Mossad by parachuting their territory with armed men, firing indiscriminately leading to a full-fledged war. It was October 7, when Hamas killed 1200 people and kidnapped about 250 Israelis; of them, more than 100 are still being held captive by Hamas somewhere in Gaza, and none knows how many of them are alive.

In retaliation, Israeli troops have killed almost 41,000 Palestinians so far. 16,000 children were among the overall number of dead, 19,000 became orphans, and over 1000 of the children's limbs were amputated. Ninety percent of Palestinians are displaced internally. Most of the people face food insecurity as there is a complete blockade. Buildings across Gaza were destroyed including hospitals, schools etc.

After a year of conflict, Palestine has been completely wrecked, and Hamas still holds prisoners. Although life in Israel may appear normal, life in Gaza, the epicenter of the conflict, has come to a standstill. Children and women are more vulnerable to aerial bombings, leaving no safe place for them where they can take shelter. Basic survival and existence are at stake while health and hygiene have taken a backseat in Gaza. Human dignity is ripped apart when a bomb tears a child into pieces who could not even run for his life. Children who could not even crawl are collateral damage of this war. They cannot be the enemy of anyone, nor can they be treated as a life devoid of dignity. They are killed at a time when child rights are highly talked about and conventions on child rights are held sacred by the nations. The war is spreading its tentacles in other regions making women and children in those areas more vulnerable to attacks.

In most parts of Israel's recently opened new front of the war against Lebanon, the idea of "survive and thrive" is dark and it hardly exists in the south of Lebanon now. The news of the war in Lebanon is making people in West Asia feel anxious by the day, and the horrors of Gaza only serve to heighten their sense of unease. Uncertainty is roiling the entire region as a result of the aerial bombing in Palestine and parts of Lebanon.

Flames and smoke rise from an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, early Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP)

Houthis of Yemen seem to have gone silent, for some time, fearing they may be the next after Hezbollah. Iran backs both Houthis and Hezbollah. After Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrullah was assassinated, Iran resorted to brinkmanship, probably in an attempt to test the waters as to how Israel would react. Israel’s reaction to Hizbollah and Hamas was stern and ferocious. The only nations that appear to openly oppose Israel are some Shiite countries like Yemen, Lebanon, and Iran. Saudi Arabia and the other Sunni countries opted for soft diplomacy, restricting themselves to condemnation and calling for negotiations and dialogue. Muslim countries are being cautious and have attempted to defuse tensions by mediating disputes between Israel and Hamas. Egypt and Qatar are working to bring about a ceasefire while US supports Israel relentlessly and continues aiding it with arms. US also made a failed attempt to persuade Israel to a ceasefire.

In all of this, India holds a very significant position since it enjoys a close relationship with Israel and maintains good relations with Palestinian leaders. India takes measured steps as it has interests in entire West Asia. The success of the ambitious IMEEC (India Middle East Economic Corridor) project depends heavily on Saudi Arabia which hasn’t yet taken off. Not only Saudi but also Iran is important for India. India’s Chabahar port in Iran is strategically and economically important. Iran and Saudi are both crucial for India’s growth story.

Entire West Asia is strategically important for India as crucial defense supplies come from Israel. At the same time, Iran provides crude oil to India. Eighty percent of oil resources come from west Asia and disruption may cause a great inconvenience to India. A full-fledged war between Israel and Iran would be against the interests of India. India has appealed for a dialogue and has been advocating for an end to violence. China and India have been vying for resources and opportunities in West Asia, where India has the upper hand.

Pro-Palestinian activists protest at Lafayette Park across from the White House to mark the approaching one year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP)

If Hamas hadn't launched their attack on October 7, 2023, China's arbitration could have had a different outcome. China tried to mediate a settlement between Hamas and Al Fatah as well as between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Before the agreements would unite Sunnis and Shiites, a full-fledged conflict broke out, leaving hard feelings between Saudis and Iranians unresolved and giving Israel the upper hand. Israel would continue its fight against Hamas and its allies, which would benefit both Saudi Arabia and Israel, both of which have been having difficulty getting rid of Houthis. It will be interesting to see how things unfold and how Israel responds to Iran’s missile attacks.

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