Israel evacuated all settlements and military installations from Gaza in 2005. Look what happened in October 2023. What happened to the rights and dignities of those slaughtered?
Nothing can justify the slaughter of 1,200 people in Israel—mostly civilians, many of them Israeli Jews—and the taking of over 250 hostages by Hamas fighters on Oct. 7, 2023. Their right to life and their dignity were brutally taken from them.
In response, Israel has so far killed over 69,000 Palestinians in Gaza and injured more than 170,500. Estimates suggest roughly 80% of those killed were civilians—mostly women and children. At least 20,000 of the dead are believed to be children. This excludes those still buried under rubble.
Surely, everyone has the right to life and the right to live in dignity. That principle must apply equally, regardless of nationality or circumstance. I hope we can agree that no one is made safer by continuing the killing, regardless of who is doing the killing and who is dying. We can mourn the dead, but it is too late to save them. If we want to prevent further deaths, we must pressure all parties to end the violence and work towards a just and lasting peace.
Unfortunately, since the “ceasefire” took effect on Oct. 11, Israeli forces have killed more than 240 Palestinians in Gaza and dozens more in the West Bank, with women and children comprising a large share of the toll. For those who survive in Gaza, life amid toxic rubble cannot be called dignified. Under continued occupation, denied sovereignty and self‑determination, Palestinians will remain without basic rights. Ending oppression and breaking the cycle of violence is the necessary prerequisite for a just and lasting peace.
One of the difficulties that Israel has in explaining the super aggressive behaviour of the IDF is getting people to understand that the country has been at war constantly since independence in 1948. The Arab/Moslem world rejected the U.N. resolution partitioning Palestine and pursued the destruction of Israel. This never-ending threat to Israel’s survival obviously impacted the Israeli view of the world, particularly towards Palestinians and Arabs. Events like the Arab terrorist attack on the Israeli delegation at the Munich Olympic Games leave scars and shape attitudes. There have been many similar attacks as well as actual wars. I myself have been horrified by the scale of the deaths in Gaza. However, someone in Dunedin, NZ can have no idea what this conflict is like or about. You see the destruction and misery in Gaza and the death toll that the news channels broadcast. The Gaza war is about so much more.
It’s a rather large, heavy lens, but it’s sharp and well built. The 35-150mm gives me the flexibility I need for events like this. For my daily street photography, I mostly use a Sony Zeiss 55mm 1.8 prime lens, which is small, light, and also sharp.
Thanks for sharing these photos and your thoughts on this topic. After a year on Substack, I've been disheartened by how many people (especially photographers) have joined this network specifically to avoid news or discussion of Gaza & Palestine. I have noticed another person in the comments pushing back against you and I hope you will ignore them and keep speaking your mind.
Thanks for leaving a comment, as it has alerted me to your work. I visited Montreal with my family in July, 2023. We all loved it. It's quite a contrast to Toronto (where I lived before moving to New Zealand).
You clearly put a lot of thought into your "Algorithmic Distress" post. There's a lot to talk about there. I'll start with a comment on that post. It's a pleasure to meet you here, Griffin.
Israel evacuated all settlements and military installations from Gaza in 2005. Look what happened in October 2023. What happened to the rights and dignities of those slaughtered?
Nothing can justify the slaughter of 1,200 people in Israel—mostly civilians, many of them Israeli Jews—and the taking of over 250 hostages by Hamas fighters on Oct. 7, 2023. Their right to life and their dignity were brutally taken from them.
In response, Israel has so far killed over 69,000 Palestinians in Gaza and injured more than 170,500. Estimates suggest roughly 80% of those killed were civilians—mostly women and children. At least 20,000 of the dead are believed to be children. This excludes those still buried under rubble.
Surely, everyone has the right to life and the right to live in dignity. That principle must apply equally, regardless of nationality or circumstance. I hope we can agree that no one is made safer by continuing the killing, regardless of who is doing the killing and who is dying. We can mourn the dead, but it is too late to save them. If we want to prevent further deaths, we must pressure all parties to end the violence and work towards a just and lasting peace.
Unfortunately, since the “ceasefire” took effect on Oct. 11, Israeli forces have killed more than 240 Palestinians in Gaza and dozens more in the West Bank, with women and children comprising a large share of the toll. For those who survive in Gaza, life amid toxic rubble cannot be called dignified. Under continued occupation, denied sovereignty and self‑determination, Palestinians will remain without basic rights. Ending oppression and breaking the cycle of violence is the necessary prerequisite for a just and lasting peace.
One of the difficulties that Israel has in explaining the super aggressive behaviour of the IDF is getting people to understand that the country has been at war constantly since independence in 1948. The Arab/Moslem world rejected the U.N. resolution partitioning Palestine and pursued the destruction of Israel. This never-ending threat to Israel’s survival obviously impacted the Israeli view of the world, particularly towards Palestinians and Arabs. Events like the Arab terrorist attack on the Israeli delegation at the Munich Olympic Games leave scars and shape attitudes. There have been many similar attacks as well as actual wars. I myself have been horrified by the scale of the deaths in Gaza. However, someone in Dunedin, NZ can have no idea what this conflict is like or about. You see the destruction and misery in Gaza and the death toll that the news channels broadcast. The Gaza war is about so much more.
I truly believe Substack should be kept free of this kind of campaign.
💜
Thanks, KewtieBird. Your beautiful photos of Lovund remain with me. I must check out other posts in your Summer Travel series.
I’m very happy to hear that! And thank you for amplifying such an important issue in your post.
I like your photos. That Tamron is a nice lens. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comment, Matt.
It’s a rather large, heavy lens, but it’s sharp and well built. The 35-150mm gives me the flexibility I need for events like this. For my daily street photography, I mostly use a Sony Zeiss 55mm 1.8 prime lens, which is small, light, and also sharp.
Thanks for sharing these photos and your thoughts on this topic. After a year on Substack, I've been disheartened by how many people (especially photographers) have joined this network specifically to avoid news or discussion of Gaza & Palestine. I have noticed another person in the comments pushing back against you and I hope you will ignore them and keep speaking your mind.
Hi, Griffin.
Thanks for leaving a comment, as it has alerted me to your work. I visited Montreal with my family in July, 2023. We all loved it. It's quite a contrast to Toronto (where I lived before moving to New Zealand).
You clearly put a lot of thought into your "Algorithmic Distress" post. There's a lot to talk about there. I'll start with a comment on that post. It's a pleasure to meet you here, Griffin.