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467 Days of Devastation: Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis and the Path to Ceasefire

By Sõzarn Barday

For 467 days, Israel has waged a relentless campaign against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, leaving widespread devastation in its wake. This prolonged assault has caused daily displacements, injuries, starvation, and deaths—escalating into a full-scale genocide.

The onslaught began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas initiated its right to defend Palestinians against Israeli occupation and apartheid. Since that day, over 46,707 Palestinians have been killed, including 18,000 children. More than 100,000 individuals have been injured, and 1.9 million people have been displaced within Gaza, erasing entire generations of Palestinian families from the civil registry.

Colonial regimes have often resorted to genocide when faced with resistance from occupied populations. Scholars and human rights activists assert that the mass killing and forced expulsion of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem violate numerous international human rights laws, including the Genocide Convention.

Beyond the bombings, the Israeli Defence Forces have detained thousands of Palestinians since October 7, including more than 7,350 individuals from the West Bank. Among the detained are over 200 children, many held under administrative detention without charges or fair trials. “Families are tortured by the uncertainty of the whereabouts of their loved ones” No child should be detained or held hostage, Jeremy Stoner, regional director for Save the Children’s regional in the Middle East. Human Rights Watch’s Israel-Palestine Director, Omar Shakir, has condemned this practice, stating, “Israel’s sweeping use of administrative detention is not lawful.” Reports of severe mistreatment, including beatings, attacks by dogs, and the denial of basic needs like water, electricity, and healthcare, have surfaced. In some cases, neglect has led to deaths in custody.

Abuse is rife following the emergence of a video in August 2024 showing guards at the Sde Teiman detention facility in southern Israel gang-raping a Palestinian prisoner. The assault was so severe that the prisoner required hospitalization, with reports stating they were unable to walk. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir justified the guards’ actions, claiming that “all measures are permissible” for state security. He further stated that it’s “shameful” for Israel to arrest the perpetrators, “our best heroes”. Human rights groups like B’Tselem have described these incidents and similar abuses as part of a systematic pattern of mistreatment in Israeli detention facilities. Ahmad Tibi, an “Arab” MP of the Israeli Knesset, asked the Knesset is it legitimate “to insert a stick into a person’s rectum”. In response, of Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party said “If he is a Nukhba [Hamas militant], everything is legitimate to do! Everything!”

Despite this grim backdrop, a ceasefire agreement was reached on January 15, 2025, between Hamas and Israel. The deal is set to be implemented in three stages, with the first phase commencing on January 19, 2025.

Stage 1

Over the first six weeks, limited prisoner exchanges and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza are planned. Under the agreement, 33 Israeli prisoners of war (children, women, and individuals over 50 years) will be released in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including those serving life sentences. Israeli forces will also begin repositioning 700 meters back from Gaza’s border, though the Netzarim Corridor withdrawals are expected to proceed incrementally.

During this phase, civilians will be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza, and humanitarian aid will enter to address widespread famine. Injured Palestinians will be permitted to seek medical treatment outside Gaza, and the Rafah crossing with Egypt will reopen seven days after the phase begins. Israeli forces will gradually reduce their presence in the Philadelphia Corridor, with a complete withdrawal anticipated by the 50th day.

Stage 2

Negotiations for the second and third stages are expected to take place during the first phase. While the United States has assured that the ceasefire will hold beyond the initial six weeks, Israel has refuses to provide written guarantees to not resume attacks. If stage two materializes, Hamas is expected to release the remaining Israeli prisoners, primarily male soldiers, in exchange for additional Palestinian detainees. This stage would also see Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza. However, political turmoil within the Netanyahu’s Cabinet, particularly among far-right factions, could jeopardize progress.

Stage 3

The details of the final stage remain vague. Reports suggest it will involve the recovery of captives’ remains in exchange for a three-to-five-year reconstruction plan under international supervision. The governance of Gaza post-ceasefire remains unresolved, with the United States advocating for a restructured Palestinian Authority, an arm of the Israeli colonialist, to assume administrative control.

The 467-day assault on Gaza has resulted in profound devastation, leaving tens of thousands dead, including over 18,000 children, and millions displaced. Children, in particular, have been robbed of their childhoods—exposed to violence, trauma, and the loss of their homes, families, and futures. Their lives have been torn apart, as they face a harsh reality of fear, hunger, and displacement, growing up in a perpetual state of conflict.

The horrors extend beyond bombings and displacements. Palestinian detainees, including children, have endured severe mistreatment, with reports of torture, sexual abuse, and denial of basic rights. The emergence of a video showing the gang-rape of a Palestinian prisoner by Israeli guards underscores the extent of the brutality, with the Israeli government’s failure to hold perpetrators accountable sending a disturbing message of impunity. Such acts of violence, including systemic sexual abuse, are part of a broader pattern of dehumanization and violation of international human rights laws.

Despite these grave violations, a ceasefire agreement was reached in January 2025, offering a potential path toward peace. However, this fragile peace is but a first step, and true justice will require not only the cessation of violence but also a reckoning with the atrocities committed. The international community must demand accountability for the human rights violations that have plagued the Palestinian people, particularly the heinous acts that have forever scarred children and civilians. Only through genuine justice, accountability, and the protection of human dignity can the region hope to heal and rebuild, ensuring a future where the rights of all people are respected and upheld.

In the words of Yahya Al-Sinwar, “As long as we have a pulse, we will never abandon Palestine.”

Sõzarn Barday

Sõzarn Barday is an attorney based in South Africa and has a particular interest in human rights within the Middle East

 

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