CATAstRoPhE
Sadeen Al Adham

With Israel declaring war on the Gaza Strip fol lowing an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian armed group Hamas on October 7th.

This attack resulted in the deaths of at least 1,400 Israelis, and 203 soldiers and civilians, including women and children, were taken hostage to Gaza. In response, Israeli airstrikes and artillery killed over 35,000 Palestinians and an estimated 75,000 were left wounded. The Israeli military has massed forces on the Gaza border in preparation for a large ground operation. Israel has also imposed a complete blockade on Gaza, preventing the entry of food, fuel, and other necessities, with the exception of twenty aid trucks that entered on October 21st through American mediation. However, the recent events are deeply rooted in historical context. The origins of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be traced back to critical developments in the mid-20th century, notably the United Nations’ adoption of Resolution 181 in 1947. To fully understand this complex history, it is essential to delve into the establishment of the British Mandate in 1923 and the turbulent years leading up to the creation of the apartheid state of Israel in 1948.

The British Mandate, established in 1923 , was instrumental in shaping the region’s dynamics until it ended in 1948 .

During this time, British authorities facilitated substantial Jewish immigration, with many new arrivals escaping Nazism in Europe. At the same time, Palestinians grew increasingly worried about changing demographics and confiscation of their lands by the British for Jewish settlers. Thus, the Zionist movement was driven by the logic of settler colonialism, which sought to eliminate the indigenous population and disrupt their independence in favor of a Jewish nationalist state defined by the absence of Palestinian self-determination and sovereignty.

In 1947, the P alestinians suffered a catastrophe , the english translation of ‘Nakba’, after about 530 vi llages and more than 62 thousand homes were destroyed.

Approximately 13,000 Palestinians were killed as a result of many massacres, and 75% of Palestinians were forced to flee their homes, who were given the designation of "stateless" and forced to become refugees. This unrealized hope has been passed on to me with the steadfast will to complete our right of return. As a Palestinian who descends from grandparents and were forced to flee with very little except the key to their home and the conviction of their return, this unrealised hope has been passed on to me with the unwavering determination to fulfill our right of return. My motivation to act comes from my desire to help the Palestinian people, who have a similar story and are still denied the right to vote. This Palestinian bond, despite our exile, ensures that our struggle for independence will continue and that we will eventually be able to return home.

In 1967, Israel occupied East Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza, Golan Heights, and Sinai Peninsula after another war.

Although Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, it still controls its borders, airspace, and coastline. The Palestinian refugees and their descendants remain in Gaza, the West Bank, and neighboring countries, unable to return to their homes. Israel continues to build settlements in the occupied territories, which Palestinians and the international community consider illegal and obstacles to peace until this very day

İLLÜSTRASYON: Sadeen Al Adham, tipografik illustrasyon, 2024.

ILLUSTRATION: Sadeen Al Adham, typographic illustraion, 2024.