76. And my joy went with her

Although I was glad to see the Gaza war end, I was not entirely convinced that it truly marked the end because there was no clarity about the Hamas group’s status after the signing of the peace deal.

Whatever announcement we heard was one-sided. Hamas didn’t say a word on this issue.

Unfortunately, my apprehensions are likely to prove right. 

Now, Donald Trump has said that “Hamas will be forced to disarm, and if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them, and it will happen quickly and perhaps violently.”

Violently – that carries a lot of meaning.

White House plans to force Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza if and when the second phase of its 20-point peace deal comes into effect.

A video released by Hamas is making rounds in which its members execute eight blindfolded, bound, and kneeling men whom it calls “collaborators and outlaws”. 

Throughout all of this, only the common man is suffering, making him the biggest victim.

The Israeli military said that one of the bodies handed over by Hamas as part of the ceasefire deal is not that of one of the hostages who was held in Gaza. 

And those who returned from Israel have only bruises, fractures, wounds, poor health, and physical injuries from beatings.

These are the gifts Palestinian prisoners have brought from Israeli prison Nafha, where cells were crowded, with 14 people crammed into a room that seemed designed for five.

According to the NGO Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), “Generally, the amount and scale of torture and abuse in Israeli prisons and military camps has skyrocketed since October 7."

How can we forget Ben-Gvir, the security minister, who on social media boasted about providing the “minimum amount of food.” I am here to ensure that the ‘terrorists’ receive the minimum of the minimum. 

A Palestinian detainee said: “There was an area they called ‘the disco’, where they played loud music nonstop for two days straight. This was one of their most notorious and painful torture methods. They also hung us on walls, sprayed us with cold air and water, and sometimes threw chilli powder on detainees.”.

The Guardian reported that after being released, a Palestinian man named Radee attempted to reach his wife, but her phone was out of service. He later learned that she and all but one of his children had been killed in Gaza during his detention.

“I was very happy to be released because the date coincided with my youngest daughter Saba’s third birthday on 13 October. I tried to find some joy in being released on this day, but sadly, Saba went with my family, and my joy went with her,” he said.

Just to remind, on 7 October 2023, an attack by Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people.