A home to more than two million people living in a small narrow strip of around 25 miles long and six miles wide, the Gaza Strip is one of two Palestinian territories. The other one, the West Bank, is occupied by the Israelis. The strip has bordered Egypt, Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea. Historically, the Gaza Strip has been dominated and ruled by many different empires.

During the 16th century, the territory was incorporated by the Ottoman Empire. However, during the First World War, the territory fell into the hands of the British. In 1948, the first Arab-Israel war was the territory occupied by the Egyptians but taken back by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under different agreements during the 1980s and 1990s, the territory was transferred back to the Palestinian authority.

The Gaza Strip, described as the world’s most densely populated territory, faces unprecedented humanitarian challenges.

In 2006, the Islamic militant group Hamas won the election in the Gaza Strip, and the territory fell under the control of Hamas. Since 2006, Hamas has ruled over the Gaza Strip. In October 2023, the Hamas attacked Israeli forces by missiles as well as ground attacks. According to reports, around 300 people were kidnapped by the militant group. Many civilians were injured in the attack.

However, Israel responds to the attack very brutally towards the Gaza Strip. To date, more than 40000 people have been killed by the Israeli forces including children and women. The attack was considered by the internationally a crime against the civilians and some called it genocide.

Since 2006, the people of the narrow strip have faced many brutality and crimes from the Israeli side. Some experts called it the prison of politics. The civilians of Gaza are isolated in the narrow strip and cannot go outside the territory without the permission of the Israeli forces. The Israeli forces have occupied every point of the Gaza Strip.

Since October 2023, more than 30,000 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in Gaza.

Historically, the strip was a politically disputed area between states. After independence, the First Arab-Israel war occurred, and the territory was incorporated by the Egyptian government. However, the Israeli forces took back the territory in the six-day war in 1967. Since political games are played over the narrow strip. Actually, the territory is part of the Palestine government and should be ruled by the Palestinian Authority with the West Bank.

But practically, the strip has never been ruled by the Palestinian Authority but for very little time. The Palestinian Authority reached an agreement with Israel in 1983 and 1993, where they decided that the Gaza Strip would be part of the Palestinian territory and should be ruled by them. However, the emergence of the Hamas once again changes the future of the narrow strip.

Hamas emerged against Israel and raised a voice for the independence of Palestine due to which never-ending clashes between Hamas and Israel started. Since 2006, Hamas has ruled over the narrow strip. The civilian people have spent a political life in prison and have no freedom of speech and freedom of movement. Sometimes, prisoner of Israel while sometimes a prisoner of Hamas.

The Israeli government’s actions in Gaza have been labeled as genocide by the Government of South Africa.

Since the independence of Palestine and Israel, the Gaza Strip has always been in war conditions. The territory faced many incidents of war in the second of the 20th century including the first Arab-Israel war, the Six Days War, and many small clashes with Israel. However, turn into the 21st century, the narrow strip is almost in war condition and the people of Gaza are facing the worst and most brutal war.

The people were isolated in a small narrow strip. After the recent war between Hamas and Israel started in October 2023, the Israeli forces brutally attacked and pushed the whole population onto one side of the narrow strip and isolated them inside a small area. According to reports from the Palestinians, the people are living in a war prison. The UN also declared the area, the world’s most densely populated territory. The civilian people are not allowed to leave the territory without the consent of Israel.

Although, living under the brutality of the Israeli forces, the people of Gaza also confronting the worst humanitarian crisis since independence, especially after the war started back in 2023. The Israeli forces are conducting genocide and war crimes against the civilian people. The Government of South Africa also filed petition of genocide against Israel in the UN Court of Justice. The UN also declared the Israeli forces are doing war crimes.

The UN has declared the ongoing events in Gaza as war crimes, urging global intervention.

In a war, children and women have special safety and security. But Israeli forces are bombarding the whole population and destroying the whole territory of Gaza. More than 30000 people including children and women have been killed since October 2023. Some photos showed that the forces have raped and brutally killed many civilian women. Moreover, Children are dying due to malnutrition and not getting enough food.

The Israeli government also cut the food and other things received by the Gaza civilians. Therefore, the activities going on in the small Gaza Strip can be called the worst humanitarian crisis and the world should give some serious attention to the innocent people. Especially, the Muslim leaders need to dismantle all the relations with Israel and force them to end the worst brutality over the civilians of Gaza.