BLUF: The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip has resulted in significant humanitarian crisis, with International agencies reporting extensive civilian displacement and suffering. Palestinians living around Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest healthcare facility in Gaza, are experiencing a massive constituency change due to Israel’s continuous bombing.
OSINT:
Sources convey that living conditions in northern Gaza have become intolerable due to relentless Israeli bombing that forced over 200,000 Palestinians to flee their homes within the last 10 days. In some estimates since October 7th, as many as 1.5 million civilians have been displaced, essentially constituting the majority of Gaza’s population. Apprehensions persist that they may never be able to return to their homes.
Healthcare services are crippled, with Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest in Gaza, running out of fuel, forcing it to cease function as a healthcare facility. The World Health Organization reports the hospital’s premises are now cemeteries due to the mass casualties and continued conflict. Additionally, claims are circulating that Israeli armed forces allege the hospital houses a command center for Hamas, but hospital officials uniformly deny these allegations.
Amid the crisis, Palestinians make deep resonances with the 1948 Nakba or “catastrophe,” when 700,000 Palestinians were made refugees during Israel’s formation. There is a growing despair that history is repeating itself.
Speaking up against this widespread suffering and in an earnest appeal for humanitarian consideration, Ahmed Alnaouq, a Palestinian journalist residing in London and the co-founder of ‘We Are Not Numbers’, shares his tragic family loss. As per his account, since October 7th, at least 20 members of his family were killed, including his father and siblings.
These narratives capture the crisis and the corresponding changes. Yet, a significant distinction must be made between the civilian plight and the controversial political situations.
RIGHT:
In the lens of a strict Libertarian Republican Constitutionalist, external intervention should only be exerted when individual liberties and US national security interests are directly threatened. That said, the US should affirm the right of both Israelis and Palestinians to govern themselves independently, however, unrestricted aid to any parties can be seen as an unnecessary intervention and should be curtailed accordingly. Therefore, addressing humanitarian concerns is paramount, while direct involvement in the conflict should be carefully considered to avoid unwarranted commitment and potential backlash.
LEFT:
From a National Socialist Democrat perspective, the vast disparity in power dynamics between Israel and Palestine calls for an urgent review and reassessment of American foreign policy regarding the conflict. The heaviest brunt of the conflict disproportionally disrupts Palestinian civilians and further widens the socio-economic chasm. Therefore, there is valid call for the US to leverage its diplomatic resources to mediate a holistic resolution, addressing both short-term humanitarian and long-term political aspects.
AI:
The scenario put forth presents a complex humanitarian crisis. As impartial agents, AI may suggest multiple resolution pathways. Immediate action should be directed towards minimizing civilian casualties and ensuring the provision of vital services, especially healthcare. More comprehensive solutions would involve facilitating diplomatic dialogues to achieve ceasefires and address the root causes of the conflict. The overall challenge lies in promoting viable negotiations to resolve the potentially intractable issues linked to the geopolitical rivalry and religious sectarianism underlying the conflict. However, managing directive biases within the AI is crucial to ensure the formulation of feasible and impartial solutions.