One Year After 10/7

An illegal military occupation, a horrifyingly expanding genocide, and what must happen to ensure peace and justice going forward

Let me start with a question. Why is it we never hear media report that in the year prior to 10/7/23, Hamas killed 240 Israeli civilians including 47 children, kidnapped 800 more Israeli children, held 8000 Israelis hostage, and built more than 12,000 homes on Israeli land?

The answer: Because Hamas did none of those things—the Israeli government did. Let’s Address This.

A peaceful protest calling to stop arming Netanyahu and end the genocide.

Before 10/7

In the year prior to 10/7, the Israeli government killed at least 240 Palestinian civilians including 47 children in the West Bank, kidnapped 800 Palestinian children, separated them from their parents, and put them in indefinite detention—where they still suffer physical and sexual abuse according to Israeli human rights organizations, held 8000 Palestinians hostage in indefinite detention without trial, charge, conviction, or access to counsel, and built 12,000+ illegal homes on Palestinian land in just the first half of 2023.

In fact, on October 6, 2023, the human rights group Defence of Children International reported,

This year has witnessed the highest number of attacks on Palestinian children by Israeli forces, either by killing, maiming, or arresting. In August, Human Rights Watch said in a report that 2022 was the deadliest year for Palestinian children in the West Bank in 15 years. "This year is even worse, as 45 children were killed by the occupation forces in 2022, but already 47 have been killed in 2023, and the year is not over", said Ayed Abu Qteish from DCI-P. "The main reason for this spike is the fact that the complete lack of accountability, as there hasn't been a single case of accountability in the occupation army for the killing or maiming of a child.” Currently, Israeli forces hold 160 Palestinian children in its jails, including 32 under 15. Since 2000, Israeli forces have killed 2,287 Palestinian children.

I repeat, this report was published on October 6, 2023.

Palestinian lawyer, analyst, and activist Diana Buttu states, “Israeli logic is that nothing justifies October 7, but genocide is justified because of October 7.” As we review the circumstances leading up to October 7, and Israel’s actions since October 7, it becomes impossible to dispute Buttu’s point. Imagine the narrative and headlines if each of the above described Hamas, instead of the Israeli government? And ask yourself, why is the average American wholly unaware that in fact, each of those atrocities prior to 10/7 are true of the Israeli government?

Satellite images of Gaza before and after Israel’s siege. [Credit: Al Jazeera].

After 10/7

On October 7, 2023 I wrote:

As a human rights lawyer, I will always stand for justice for Israel and justice for Palestine, where every Israeli civilian and child is safe, and every Palestinian civilian and child is safe. That is the only path forward.

I stand by these words. And over the last year, in addition to my writing and advocacy, I’ve spoken repeatedly at my city council to demand ceasefire and release of all hostages, raised and donated thousands for Palestinian relief for Humanity First and MedGlobal, provided pro bono legal aid to those in need, sponsored Palestinian Film Festivals, marched in pro peace marches to call for an end to the arms trade, protested outside the DNC, and advocated on the boards of multiple non-profit organizations to call for an end to the siege on Gaza. Articles on this subject I’ve already written include:

• Hamas attacks on civilians are unjustified and condemnable

• Peace after 10/7 requires understanding what happened before 10/7

• What will it take for the USA to stop funding Israeli war crimes?

• Debunking 4 myths about Israel’s siege on Gaza

• Does Israel recognize Palestine’s right to exist?

And whatever human rights work I’ve done in this space, it is insignificant to the incomparable work done by healthcare workers and journalists in Gaza who are dying by the hundreds through targeted strikes from the Israeli government. Reporters Without Borders documents at least 130 journalists killed by Netanyahu’s military—journalists who remain relentless in telling their story in a Netanyahu imposed media blackout. The Palestinian Health Ministry documents at least 1,151 healthcare worker killed by Netanyahu’s military—providing care in what is described as hell on Earth due to Netanyahu’s indiscriminate bombing of hospitals. And The Lancet conservatively estimates at least 186,000 Palestinian civilians killed as of June 2024—a number that has no doubt increased since.

Meanwhile, Israeli war crimes continue, funded and enabled by atrocious US government policy. The ICC and ICJ have already well documented war crimes by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Defense Minister Gallant. Multiple media outlets and NGOs have reported on the Israeli military raping prisoners at secret torture sites, bombing UN schools and designated safe zones, and illegally blocking aid. And despite Hamas accepting multiple Israeli demands of ceasefire and release of all hostages, Netanyahu has prevented a deal—a fact attested to by the families of the hostages themselves, who call him “Mr. Death.”

For example, on May 6 Hamas said it accepted a ceasefire proposal that included release of all hostages. Israel rejected it. Again on June 11 Hamas accepted the binding UN Security Council resolution on ceasefire and release of all hostages—Israel again rejected it. When Zeteo News journalist Prem Thakker asked about ceasefire, US State Department Spox Matt Miller first claimed “[the USA] never wanted a diplomatic resolution with Hamas,” followed immediately by, “we could have a deal if Hamas would just come to the table.” The hypocrisy of this statement notwithstanding, reality attests that diplomacy has released hundreds of hostages, while war has killed more than it has secured.

Likewise, ProPublica documents that US Secretary of State Blinken defied his own State Department reports to lie to Congress and claim that Israel is not blocking aid into Gaza. And now a new shocking report from DropSiteNews cites Israeli officials to allege Blinken approved bombing aid trucks. And just as Defence of Children International reported that the spike in Palestinians killed by the Israeli military is due to "the complete lack of accountability, as there hasn't been a single case of accountability in the occupation army for the killing or maiming of a child,” there remains a complete lack of accountability from the US Department of Justice for any of the American citizens killed or kidnapped by Netanyahu’s army.

The Future

The path forward is clear—we must end this genocide, release all hostages, end the occupation, rebuild Gaza, ensure a viable two state solution, and hold accountable those who committed war crimes.

But the question is whether American leadership has the moral and ethical courage to walk that path? A path that should start with President Biden. Instead, we see an expanding conflict that threatens to engulf the entire region. Asked if he supports Israel striking Iran's oil refineries, Biden responded, "We're discussing that." This answer is perplexing and confounding. Biden himself admits he believes Netanyahu is perpetuating war to help Trump win, yet Biden continues to arm Netanyahu to perpetuate war. Politically, I believe Harris can beat Trump—but I do not know if she can beat Trump and Biden if Biden continues to betray the will of the American people. We know the following critical facts about how united Americans are to end the siege on Gaza by withholding arms from Netanyahu:

• 61% of Americans oppose weapons to Israel’s assault in Gaza

• 77% of Democrats reject US weapons to Israel

• 63% of moderates reject US weapons to Israel

And we also know that the American people want Harris to break from Biden. As CNN reports regarding a national study on this very question:

In mid-September, the Democratic research and polling initiative Blueprint conducted a national poll testing a long series of potential statements Harris could make about herself and Biden. Those that performed best, the polling found, “were those that displayed a clear break between her and Biden,” while those that performed worst were “those that portrayed a future Harris administration as building on the accomplishments of the Biden era.”

And finally, we know this is not a position unique to Americans. This is an area of agreement between Americans, Israelis, hostage families, and Palestinians. It’s also global consensus with our main allies. Canada and the United Kingdom are already restricting arms to Netanyahu. France is now calling to end all arms to Netanyahu. And Ireland refuses to remove its peacekeepers from Lebanon even as Netanyahu bombs Lebanon. Yet—President Biden continues to defy the American people and the Leahy Laws to keep arming Netanyahu. If Ronald Reagan could force Israel to stop bombing civilians with a single phone call, why is Joe Biden afraid to stop arming Israel to commit war crimes?

Where do we go from here

Last week I attended a fundraiser for Gaza with MedGlobal. And in the powerful display of witness testimonies from Gaza, we were reminded the names of Hind Rajab, the 6-year-old Palestinian girl that Israeli forces shot to death with more than 300 bullets. We were reminded of the two aid workers, Yousef Zeino and Ahmed al Madhoun, who the Red Crescent deployed to save Hind with the permission of the Israeli military—who then killed Yousef and Ahmed anyway. We were reminded of Refaat Alareer, a Palestinian writer, poet, professor, and activist from the Gaza Strip that the Israeli military murdered with a targeted drone strike. And we were reminded above all else, that these are not statistics, these are human beings. And it is indefensible for the US government to continue to fund a genocide, especially while knowing full well that Israel’s current leader has no intention of establishing peace.

The Israeli military shot Hind Rajab (6) more than 300 times as she was trapped under a car, murdering her.

Justice dictates we boldly and courageously walk the path of peace for the sake of humanity. It is imperative that we as Americans, and indeed as all people globally committed to justice and humanity, exert all our efforts to secure that permanent and lasting ceasefire and release of all hostages, meaningful resources to rebuild Gaza and Palestine into a sovereign state, and meaningful accountability for those who committed these war crimes. If you have influence over politicians, speak to them. If you have resources to donate to relief agencies, donate. And if all you have is your voice to speak up for justice, then let your voice be heard.

Indeed, if you’ve ever looked at historical atrocities and asked yourself, “What would I have done if I were alive then?” the answer is, it’s whatever you’re doing right now to stop the genocide in Gaza.

I close with the poem of Refaat Alareer. May our better angels enable us to bring back love.

“IF I MUST DIE” BY REFAAT ALAREER

If I must die, 

you must live 

to tell my story 

to sell my things 

to buy a piece of cloth 

and some strings, 

(make it white with a long tail) 

so that a child, somewhere in Gaza 

while looking heaven in the eye 

awaiting his dad who left in a blaze— 

and bid no one farewell 

not even to his flesh 

not even to himself— 

sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above 

and thinks for a moment an angel is there 

bringing back love 

If I must die 

let it bring hope 

let it be a tale

In a march for Palestine, activists honor Refaat and carry his poem and his kite.