he harsh turmoil of Gaza engulfs our senses, drowning out the distressing cries of innocent children. Amid this maelstrom with no end in sight, it becomes extremely imperative to reach out to their anguished voices, for their plight is a harrowing tragedy.

Have we not learnt anything from history? Will we turn a deaf ear because they are not us or ours? As humans, their plight affects all of us, equally.

Long after the war has ended, and the echoes have faded, the haunting memory of over 1,800 children lost to violence, with the tally increasing every tragic day, and the countless others scarred in both body and soul, will forever stand as a profound testament to the collective lapse of human compassion and civic duty, with the moral descent hitting a new low, the consequences of which we will all bear in the end.

After World War II, the Mediterranean, Middle East and the Subcontinent were seared by three deeply profound acts of ethnic expulsion: the partition of India, the creation of Israel and the splitting of Cyprus. There are many lessons. Is it merely a political and collective security breakdown or the failure of international law? Does the conflict (if it can still be called that) stem from Hamas’s acts of October 7 or do the events in Gaza signify a profound, deep-seated moral collapse for which we all must shoulder some responsibility?

Once again, the international community faces accusations of being complicit in a war crime, in an outright affront to humanity. It is witness to the unfolding tragedy in Gaza, largely from a distance. It failure to halt the carnage is glaring. Have we forgotten the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, the 1994 Rwanda genocide and the 2018 Rohingya genocide? Of course, we remember. There is a haunting familiarity. Is this any different, then?

The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Canada have urged a commitment to international humanitarian law, emphasising the safeguarding of civilians. Yet, what is unfolding in Gaza is blatantly evident.

Who shall hold accountable the powerful governments and leaders, wielding immense influence in global affairs, for their lax, duplicitous and self-serving policies, that have resulted in this tragedy? Who shall pass judgment?

The children of Gaza, those who survive this ordeal, will question you. They will render their verdict and avenge the present times when theirs arrives.

Because it is official now: those who disregard Israel’s evacuation directive in northern Gazan regions have been labeled as “accomplice in a terrorist organisation,” as indicated in a leaflet disseminated over the weekend. This means that civilians, including orphaned, injured, lost or separated children, could now find themselves branded as enemies if they happen to be in an “unauthorised” location.

The heartbreaking truth is that the unrelenting torment, traumatisation and victimisation of Gaza’s youth will have distressing long-term consequences. The survivors will grow up burdened by profound sadness, constant fear, gnawing guilt, seething anger and an overwhelming sense of alienation. They will harbour an insatiable, unapologetic thirst for vengeance.

Who is responsible for the deaths of their siblings, parents and friends? What was the world doing to prevent the bloodshed? Will they be consumed by haunting recollections of blood and tears, prompting them to seek justice? Might some of them resort to extreme violence? What will we do, then?

Do we have it in us to answer these questions two decades from now?

What is unfolding before us is undeniably, unequivocally immoral. All of us are aware of it. Let it be known that 12 more innocent children lost their lives in Gaza, as I penned this piece.

It’s on me, it’s on you. It’s on us; each of us. We share the burden. We are accountable. And we will be answerable to the survivors.

The writer is the head of content at a communications agency. She can be reached at sara.amj@hotmail.co.uk