The fight for dignity: reshaping Gaza’s post-war narrative
A Quran memorization competition was held in a displacement camp in Rafah
Ramzy Baroud writes in The Palestine Chronicle on 22 January 2022:
Following every Israeli war on Gaza, numerous narratives emerge. Some claim victory for one side and defeat for the other, while others—knowingly or unknowingly—attempt to exploit the aftermath for their own purposes.
The latter is not always nefarious, as the humanitarian calamities resulting from Israel’s actions are undeniable—especially as Israel and its allies often use aid to Palestinians as bargaining chips for political concessions or to exert pressure on the Strip and its leadership.
This dynamic often results in the exploitation of Palestinian suffering to raise funds, sometimes by organizations with high overhead costs, leaving independent researchers puzzled over the discrepancies between the funds collected and the funds allocated.
Additionally, Gaza lacks an independent commission to track all received funds and their usage, which leads to controversies and public accusations at times.
Exploiting Gaza
However, this is a topic for another discussion. The issue at hand here is the portrayal of Gaza’s victims—particularly children—without dignity or respect for their privacy, all in the name of helping Palestinian victims. Throughout the latest Israeli assault on Gaza, the desperation of many Palestinian families, faced with famine and extermination, led them to seek help from international donors, often turning to online donation platforms.
Many of these personal fundraisers were, of course, legitimate, as Gaza was entirely pushed past the point of starvation. Yet, suspicious accounts also appeared, raising money for individuals—real or imagined—who had not sought assistance.