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Human issue, not political issue, decries social media after Israel attacks hospital in Gaza

Human issue, not political issue, decries social media after Israel attacks hospital in Gaza

Fatima Bhutto, Osman Khalid Butt call for ceasefire and accountability as death toll soars.
18 Oct, 2023

Israel attacked the yard of Ahli Arab Hospital in central Gaza on Tuesday, killing at least 500 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Many people had sought shelter at the hospital to escape the relentless air strikes on residential areas in Palestine.

Israeli authorities initially accepted the attack but later claimed, “the hospital was hit by an errant rocket fired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which operates inside the Gaza Strip.”

Since then, people on social media have been voicing their outrage over the attack, condemning it and expressing grief over the ongoing massacre of Palestinian civilians.

Following the bombing, UK-based Pakistani boxer Amir Khan expressed his grief and helplessness, calling upon world leaders to stop the atrocities by Israel. “A genocide is happening in front of our own eyes and no one is helping,” he decried in a post on Instagram featuring graphic footage from the site of the hospital.

Singer Asim Azhar posted an Instagram story, questioning how Israel could bomb a hospital and then claim to be the victim.

Activist and author Fatima Bhutto blamed Israel for the attack and said it was the only one with weapons able to kill so many people at a time.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai posted a video on Instagram, condemning the incident and saying collective punishment is not the “answer”.

However, many were unimpressed with her statement, saying it was “too late, too lukewarm”.

Bhutto told her to acknowledge it as a “genocide”.

Others wanted her to use her platform and do better.

Palestinian-Canadian rapper and singer Belly expressed his anger, stating that this is not a political issue anymore, rather it is a human issue.

Sisters Aseefa And Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari also slammed Israel for the attack.

Another X user, author Assal Rad, pointed out how this isn’t the first time Israel has bombed a hospital.

Actor Ushna Shah expressed her horror over the situation and asked what someone can even do in this situation.

Actor Osman Khalid Butt called for immediate ceasefire and for aid to reach the people of Gaza.

It has been 12 days since Israel started attacking Palestine and so far, 3,300 people have been killed and over 13,000 wounded in Israeli air attacks on Gaza. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has become desperate after days of relentless bombing by Israeli forces. Global aid organisations have said time was “running out to save millions of people” in the Gaza Strip. Yet, no aid is being allowed inside the besieged area.