Tala was born amidst Gaza tragedy

Israel’s war on civilians continues as young lives are extinguished

By Chantal Da Silva and Josh Lederman

TEL AVIV – It was a moment of elation amid tragedy in December as baby Tala Rouqa was pulled from the rubble of her home in the Gaza Strip. Born just days before the Israeli military launched a devastating offensive against the besieged enclave, little Tala became a symbol of hope amid the despair.

But Tala’s story is far from unique. In fact, she is just one of countless Palestinian children who have had their lives cut short by Israel’s indiscriminate violence. Just days after Tala was born, another baby, Malak, was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Malak was just days old and had not even been given a name when she was taken from her family.

The Israeli military’s attacks on Gaza have killed hundreds of civilians, including dozens of children. In November, 11-year-old Abo Sebah lost his home in an Israeli airstrike that killed two of his sons, his daughter, and her two children.

The Israeli government has repeatedly claimed that its attacks are necessary to defend itself against Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. However, the vast majority of those killed in the Israeli offensive have been civilians, including many women and children.

The United Nations has condemned the Israeli attacks as a “grave violation of international law” and has called for an independent investigation into the killings. The International Criminal Court is also investigating possible war crimes committed by Israel during the Gaza offensive.

The Israeli government has vowed to continue its attacks until Hamas agrees to disarm and end its rocket fire into Israel. However, it is clear that the Israeli offensive is only causing more suffering and death for the people of Gaza.

The international community must act now to stop Israel’s war on civilians. The Israeli government must be held accountable for its crimes, and the people of Gaza must be given the protection they deserve.