Gazans deserve a future free from fear

As the crescent moon began rising, signaling the arrival of Eid Al-Fitr, millions across the Muslim world prepared to celebrate. At this usually joyful time, streets are adorned with colorful lights, families gather for festive meals and children run through neighborhoods, their laughter echoing through the night. But in Gaza, there is no celebration — only silence, grief and the relentless sound of warplanes overhead. The only lights piercing the darkness are those of explosions, the only gatherings are funerals and the only thing children receive is the unbearable trauma of war.
How can one celebrate when Palestinians in Gaza are burying their loved ones? How can one embrace joy when there is unimaginable grief? The contrast is too painful to ignore. Eid is meant to be a time of reflection, gratitude and renewal of faith. It marks the end of Ramadan, a month of patience, sacrifice and devotion. But for the people of Gaza, fasting was not by choice — it was forced upon them by an unrelenting siege, by bombed-out bakeries, by an economic stranglehold designed to starve them into submission.
For decades, the Palestinian people have endured dispossession, displacement and systematic violence. But what the world is witnessing today is an escalation of brutality that surpasses even the horrors of the past. Hospitals have been turned into graveyards. Entire families have been wiped out. Children who survived one bombing wake up to find themselves orphaned after the next. The land beneath them is scorched, their dreams shattered before they even have the chance to imagine a future.
Yet, despite the scale of the tragedy, the response from much of the world remains woefully inadequate. Statements of outrage flood social media, yet the siege remains unbroken. Protests erupt in capitals across the world, but governments still hesitate to take decisive action.

Diplomatic pressure is no longer enough. Economic sanctions, arms embargoes and political isolation should be on the table.

Hani Hazaimeh

The suffering of Gaza is not an accident of war. It is the result of a deliberate strategy of occupation, blockade and collective punishment. Every airstrike, every demolished building, every restriction on food, water and medical supplies is part of a calculated effort to break the will of an entire people. And yet, despite clear evidence of war crimes, Western powers continue to supply Israel with weapons, diplomatic cover and unwavering political support.
Where is the decisive action that matches the gravity of the moment? Diplomatic pressure is no longer enough. Economic sanctions, arms embargoes and political isolation should be on the table. There must be consequences for a regime that commits war crimes with impunity. If Western powers refuse to act because of their own strategic interests, then it falls upon the Arab and Islamic world to lead the way.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League and other regional bodies must take coordinated, concrete steps — whether through legal action at the International Criminal Court, the severing of economic and trade relations or the provision of direct and sustained support to the Palestinians. The world must understand that the Palestinian struggle is not just a regional issue — it is a moral and humanitarian crisis that demands global intervention.
While governments and institutions bear the greatest responsibility, individuals cannot afford to be passive observers. Silence is complicity. The power of collective action has already shown its strength. Protests in cities across the world have kept Palestine in the global consciousness. Student movements, labor unions and civil society groups have mobilized in ways that challenge governmental and corporate complicity. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement has proven that economic pressure works. The fight for Palestinian liberation does not end with a ceasefire — it ends only when occupation, apartheid and oppression are dismantled.
The children of Gaza deserve to live, to laugh and to celebrate, just as every child should. They deserve more than temporary aid; they deserve a future where they are free from fear, where they are not trapped in an open-air prison, where they can dream beyond the next airstrike. Until that day comes, our joy will always be incomplete and our celebrations will carry the weight of their suffering.

• Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh