In October, a chilling video emerged from Gaza that shook the global community to its core. The footage captured a wounded teenager, Shaban al-Dalou, lying on a hospital gurney with flames engulfing him, waving his arms in agony as he succumbed to the fire. This tragic incident, which also claimed the lives of his mother and younger siblings, was the result of an Israeli bomb dropped on the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah. This heinous act was just one of many brutal deaths that have plagued Gaza, a result of Israeli total war tactics fueled by US weapons.
A recent study examined Israel’s use of US-supplied MK-84 bombs around hospitals in Gaza, revealing a pattern of deliberate attacks on these protected facilities. The study found that Israel dropped these 2,000-pound explosives near over 80% of hospitals in Gaza within the first 40 days of the conflict, causing widespread destruction and casualties. Despite international outrage and denial from Israeli and US officials, the evidence of deliberate targeting of hospitals with US weapons is undeniable.
The concept of “horrorism” as described by philosopher Adriana Cavarero sheds light on the inhumanity of such acts of violence, particularly when inflicted upon the most vulnerable, like children in hospitals. This ethical framework calls for a shift in perspective, focusing on the victims of violence rather than the perpetrators, and demanding accountability for the atrocities committed.
The rise of “total war” and genocide in postcolonial conflicts, as outlined by Jean-Paul Sartre, highlights the strategic brutality employed by colonial powers to crush resistance movements. The bombing of hospitals and targeting of civilians in conflicts like the one in Gaza are not just isolated incidents but part of a larger pattern of dehumanizing violence.
As the world grapples with the horrors unfolding in Gaza and other conflict zones, the call for accountability and reparations grows louder. The stories of individuals like Shaban al-Dalou serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and the urgent need for justice and healing in the face of such atrocities.