By: Jordan Sarver-Bontrager
Media Writer
On Oct. 16, Hamas’s political and military leader Yahya Sinwar was killed. Aged 61, Sinwar was found with his keffiyeh – the traditional Palestinian black-and-white scarf – and a bullet wound to his head. Hamas has not named a leader since Sinwar’s death.
Preceding and following Sinwar’s death, violence in the Palestinian territories and surrounding areas in the region has worsened. The official death toll in Gaza exceeds 43,552 as of Oct. 24. However, research published in peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet estimates that over 186,000 Palestinians in Gaza have died as a result of the bombardment of the Gaza strip, including from direct violence as well as disease, lack of healthcare, lack of shelter and lack of food and clean water.
The conflict has expanded into neighboring Lebanon. The Israeli military began airstrikes of the country on Sept. 23, killing Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Sept. 27. Israeli forces initiated a ground invasion of southern Lebanon on Oct. 1. Dozens of Lebanese people have been reported dead each week since the airstrikes began, and Hezbollah militants have launched rocket and drone attacks toward Israel.
The ramping up of the conflict coincides with the imminent U.S. election. Many voters are concerned over the state of the conflict in the Middle East and how Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will handle the violence, with many voters choosing to not vote for either candidate.
On the left, many are not voting for Vice President Harris because of her participation in the current administration’s military aid to Israel, as well as an overall low confidence in her policies, both domestic and foreign.
The situation in Gaza is dire. Currently, the main target of Israel’s campaign is Jabalia in the north of Gaza, a city with a population of 172,702 as of 2017. On Oct. 14, harrowing footage from Jabalia showed Al-Aqsa Hospital’s intensive care unit burning, while patients connected to IVs died in the fire.
While the Israeli parliament is fielding legislation that could prevent UNRWA – the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees – from continuing their work in the Palestinian territories, other aid organizations are providing relief in the region.
The Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and Mutual Aid for Palestine (MAP) are accepting donations to provide food, potable water and medical supplies to victims of the war. You can also donate to several GoFundMe’s set up by families in Gaza for medical care and other essential needs.
