"Never again" means "never again" for Gaza as the ceasefire begins

Relief amidst the devastation as aid is allowed in & the urgent need for it to be followed by representatives of international organizations and Arab countries to begin the much-needed reconstruction.

As the ceasefire in Gaza enters its third day, I hope you have time to read my latest article on my website, No Return to Genocide As the Gaza Ceasefire Begins and the Extent of Israel’s Policy of Extermination Is Revealed.

In it, I report on what must be the almost unimaginable relief of Palestinians now that the relentless fear of sudden death by bombing, snipers and armed quadcopters has come to an end, but I point out how they now face the new challenges of finding out whether or not their homes have survived (most have not), and searching for the remains of their loved ones, buried in the rubble or shot in the streets.

For many, displaced in the early months of the genocide, seeing the extent of the devastation is genuinely shocking, and those of us who care must try to amplify their voices, and to share the photos and footage that are now emerging, which show the extent of the devastation, now that the skies are finally no longer perpetually lethal.

While I hope that the release of Israeli hostages in stages over the next 18 weeks means that Israel cannot resume its deadly violence, it is also crucial that everyone who cares about ensuring that Israel can no longer resume its depravities recognizes that what is also supremely important now is talking about the necessity not only for the vital humanitarian that is already getting into Gaza, breaking Yoav Gallant’s malevolent 15-month “compete siege”, but for it also to be accompanied by representatives of international bodies, of Arab nations, of anyone from anywhere that can prevent Israel from thinking that, at the end of this period of peace, it can resume its barbarism.

The depths to which Israel has sunk must never be allowed to be replicated. “Never again”, as a certain saying goes, abused beyond belief, like so much else that the Israelis have touched over the last 15 months.

Gaza right now needs huge support in rebuilding its destroyed hospitals and healthcare system, as well as with the almost unthinkably massive task of reconstruction in general — for every good reason you can imagine: to help those who have survived this unforgivable 15-month onslaught, and also, as I say and will keep saying, to prevent the genocidal sickness at the heart of Israeli society from manifesting itself again.