World fails 2.3M Palestinians, and hostages, amidst total failure of moral responsibility and leadership, as Israel blacks out Gaza
28 October 2023
At our 28th AGM in the Glasgow City Chambers, a 29-year-old Palestinian doctor from Gaza told an audience of 100 about his fears for his mother and little sister, who, along with thousands of others, had been ordered to evacuate from the north of Gaza to the south.
Dr Hashem Salim had been assisted by our Room for Refugees programme.
On October 24th, seventeen family members - his uncle on his father’s side, his wife, all the children and grandchildren - were killed by a bomb blast in Khan Younis, Gaza.
Hashem said his mother woke at 5 a.m. daily to stand in a long queue for hours for one loaf of bread between eight people. His mother had hidden five small bottles of water for the children. All of it ran out two days ago. His friend in Khan Younis risked his own life to take 3 gallons of water and food.
Hashem called his mother and sister via international calls several times during the day and night. In the last few days, his mother and sister constantly ask for forgiveness for any wrongs they did in this life. They were saying their goodbyes.
Since his speech, Hashem has been unable to call his family in Gaza. News reports say that all telephone networks have been cut down and that the entirety of Gaza is under intense bombardment. The entirety. Yet Gazans were ordered to relocate South. What happened to the elderly who could not leave? The ones in hospitals. The babies in incubators. The doctors and nurses who refused to leave their posts? Starved, without water, food, supplies, electricity or contact with the outside world.
A ceasefire is for Palestinian children who once dreamt of peace. A ceasefire is for Israeli hostages who are longing to be reunited with their loved ones. A ceasefire is for humanity, disappearing before our very eyes.
Many journalists and their families have been targeted and killed. They were reporting directly out of Gaza. But this is not a movie. It's a sustained campaign of terror on 2.3M innocent civilians and innocent Israeli hostages, aided and abetted by world powers.
Millions are protesting around the world to stop the atrocities being committed against the Palestinian people.
Yet "world leaders" have disconnected from their humanity. Like ghouls, inflicting what the UN and Oxfam openly refer to as a genocide on Gaza. This terror campaign has been going on for 21 days and nights, justified, enabled and emboldened by the UK government, the opposition and the mainstream press.
Robina Qureshi
#CeasefireNOW
#ReleaseTheHostages
#EndTheSiege