By Uzma Ehatsham
It is a sobering moment for much of the Muslim world that, despite the announcement of a ceasefire, military operations by Israel have continued in Gaza, even during the sacred month of fasting. For many observers, the persistence of bombardment in such a period carries not only political weight but moral symbolism. The reported truce reached in October 2025 was meant to pause the devastation. Instead, it has come to look fragile, partial or, in the eyes of critics, largely illusory. Since that agreement, hundreds more Palestinians have reportedly been killed and thousands injured. The cumulative toll of the conflict has reached levels that defy easy comprehension. Yet numbers alone do not convey the reality.
Behind each figure is a household undone: parents burying children, siblings searching through rubble, families displaced for the second or third time. Statistics risk abstraction. Suffering does not. The strategy of the Israeli government appears rooted in the belief that military pressure can secure political ends. Successive administrations in Israel have argued that security threats require decisive force. Critics, however, contend that the bombardment of densely populated areas, restrictions on humanitarian access and the destruction of infrastructure undermine not only immediate civilian safety but the long-term prospects for stability. Hospitals, schools and water systems are not easily rebuilt. Trauma does not dissipate with the signing of documents. International humanitarian law was designed precisely for such circumstances.
Its purpose is not to adjudicate the origins of conflict but to limit the harm inflicted upon civilians. When food convoys are delayed, medical supplies restricted or entire neighborhoods reduced to debris, questions inevitably arise about proportionality and protection. Legal frameworks exist on paper. Their credibility depends on consistent enforcement. Equally contentious has been the posture of global powers. The United States, long regarded as Israel’s principal ally, has maintained political backing throughout the crisis. In Washington, support for Israel’s security is frequently framed as both strategic and moral. Yet statements attributed to figures such as Senator Lindsey Graham and the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, have been interpreted across much of the Muslim world as endorsing the continuation of military operations.
For some, such rhetoric appears to confer not only diplomatic approval but a deeper legitimacy upon territorial ambitions. Whether those interpretations fully capture the intent of American policymakers is open to debate. What is less debatable is the perception they generate. In regions already wary of double standards, comments that seem to justify force while invoking moral or even providential language risk inflaming sentiment further. International norms derive authority from consistency. When they appear selectively applied, faith in the broader order erodes. Yet scrutiny cannot be reserved solely for Western capitals. Leadership across Muslim-majority states must also confront uncomfortable questions. Condemnations have been swift. Parliamentary resolutions have been passed. Summits have produced communiqués heavy with solemn language.
However, the gap between rhetoric and tangible relief remains wide. For families in Gaza, carefully phrased statements offer little immediate protection. This is not to dismiss the constraints under which governments operate. Diplomatic leverage is unevenly distributed. Economic interdependence complicates bold gestures. Still, if expressions of solidarity are to carry weight, they must be paired with coherent strategy. Coordinated economic measures, sustained advocacy in international forums and unified diplomatic initiatives may not produce instant results, but they signal seriousness of intent. The crisis in Palestine cannot be understood solely as a regional confrontation. It has become a test case for the postwar international order. Institutions built to prevent collective punishment and safeguard civilians are under scrutiny.
If ceasefires collapse without consequence, if humanitarian corridors remain obstructed, then the credibility of those institutions weakens. The repercussions extend beyond the Middle East. There is also a generational dimension. Across the Muslim world, younger citizens observe these events through digital platforms that amplify images of destruction in real time. Their perceptions of global justice are being shaped now. Disillusionment, once seeded, can endure for decades. Policymakers everywhere should recognize that unresolved grievances do not dissipate; they accumulate. At the same time, it is vital to acknowledge that peace cannot be secured through maximalist demands alone. Security concerns, political aspirations and historical narratives collide in this conflict with unusual intensity. Any durable settlement must grapple with all three.
Military dominance may alter the immediate balance of power, but it rarely resolves the underlying dispute. Justice and security are not mutually exclusive; they are interdependent. The language of inevitability is dangerous. To suggest that cycles of violence are unavoidable absolves leaders of responsibility. Ceasefires are not self-executing. They require monitoring, verification and political will. If the October agreement has faltered, the task is not to abandon diplomacy but to reinforce it with seriousness and accountability.
(The writer is a public health professional, journalist, and possesses expertise in health communication, having keen interest in national and international affairs, can be reached at uzma@metro-morning.com)
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