Several Italian cities are hosting demonstrations today, May 9, to raise public awareness and call for an end to hostilities and greater humanitarian attention for the Gaza Strip.
At the same time, the situation in Gaza remains extremely critical.
Besieged Gaza is literally starving to death.
As Israeli airstrikes continue across various parts of Gaza, the city is in agony.
Food supplies have run out, and the population is being starved by Israel’s ongoing blockade, which has lasted for two months and prevents any humanitarian aid from entering, despite calls from the international community.
This is no longer just a war against Hamas, who is undoubtedly responsible in part. What was once referred to as “the democracy of the Middle East” is now besieging a civilian population, condemning them to days without peace, without water, without food, and without medical care.
Vengeance has overtaken the pursuit of justice; the liberation of hostages has taken a back seat, overshadowed by the siege.
The official figures provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Health are staggering. Over 16,000 children have been killed in Gaza — one child every 40 minutes. Of these, 908 were under the age of one, and 311 children were born and killed shortly afterward.
But how can such numbers even be stated? These are children — not statistics. They are sons and daughters, siblings, students — they represent the future that has been denied to this tormented city.
Thousands of minors are suffering from severe malnutrition. Israel continues to block polio vaccines from reaching children, threatening to undo all efforts to combat the disease.
Gaza’s healthcare system is literally collapsing under relentless Israeli attacks on hospitals, health facilities, and medical staff.
Diseases are spreading rapidly due to the now chronic lack of drinking water.
Schools have been reduced to rubble, and the right to education has been denied.
Children can’t study, can’t play — they watch their friends die. Families are shattered, some decimated.
Stress-related trauma, interrupted sleep due to bombing — these have left psychological scars that will be hard to erase.
Gaza — beautiful Gaza, whose name means “precious city” — has become a city of ruins, bombed day and night, devastated deep within its social fabric.
Yet it is a proud city that wants to resist, despite everything.
Its people do not want to leave, as the Israeli plan suggests. It is their land. It is where they want to stay.
