CSS Current Affairs | Strategies to Address the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza and Promote Sustainable Development
The following question of CSS Current Affairs is solved by Eesha Shahbaz under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches. She learnt how to attempt 20 marks question and essay writing from Sir Syed Kazim Ali, Pakistan’s best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students. This solved past paper question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years, and uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-An overview of Gaza’s current situation
3-Efforts International actors can do to address the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza and Promote Sustainable Development
A-Efforts for Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
- ✓The USA can facilitate a peace agreement between Hamas and Israel to avoid going to war for at least 25 years
- ✓The United Nations (UN) can impose strict policies against war crimes
- ✓The United Nations (UN) can allow humanitarian aid without any interference
- ✓Non-governmental organizations like the Red Cross can supply medical aid and deploy international doctors to treat the patients and masses
- ✓Organizations like UNRWA can give proper shelter to people residing in tents and basic amenities
B-Efforts to Promote Sustainable Development
- ✓The World Bank can help Gaza build local partnerships
- ✓The UN can work on healthcare system rehabilitation
- ✓The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) can help focus on education and skill development
- ✓The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) can introduce employment programs for youth and vulnerable groups
- ✓The International Monetary Fund (IMF) can promote local businesses and offer free trade agreements with Gaza
4-Critical Analysis
5-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
Israel-Gaza ongoing war, which started on 7th October 2023, is one of the deadliest conflicts in the history of Palestine-Israel that has deteriorated the landscape of Gaza. The war crimes, dastardly acts, and genocide committed by the Israeli military are among the most devastating in human history, subjecting Palestinians to severe casualties. The ongoing war that dates to a year back has become a war theatre for the world, leaving Palestinians helpless and oppressed. Currently, the war has led to the death toll exceeding 43,0000, with over 101,000 injured due to ongoing Israeli military strikes. Moreover, approximately 66 per cent of the infrastructure in Gaza has sustained damage due to the prolonged conflict. The current scenario demands international actors, such as the global superpowers the USA, Russia, and China, to intervene and various international organizations to step into the war theatre and plan strategies to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and promote sustainable development. Multiple strategies like facilitating a peace agreement for the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, imposing strict policies against war crimes, promoting local businesses and offering free trade agreements can help Gaza rebuild itself and address the humanitarian crisis. Thus, Gaza is in urgent need of international actors’ intervention as the casualties are at a peak, followed by the complete infrastructural collapse of Gaza.
An overview of Gaza’s current situation
Gaza’s current situation is defined by severe casualties and shortages of basic resources followed by a rising death toll. According to Al Jazeera’s recent reports, more than 8,000 Palestinians have been killed, with thousands injured and many more displaced. This reflects the intensity through which Israel’s military action is destroying the infrastructure of Gaza, including hospitals and schools. The people of Gaza do not have access to clean drinking water, electricity, medical supplies, food, sanitary pads, and much more. The current situation calls for urgent international intervention needed to prevent further suffering and restore peace in Gaza.
Efforts International actors can do to address the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza and Promote Sustainable Development
The following are the efforts international actors can make to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and promote sustainable development there.
A-Efforts for Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
- The USA can facilitate a peace agreement between Hamas and Israel to avoid going to war for at least 25 years
The USA, being one of the superpowers with firm control over the world, can become a mediator between Hamas and Israel. Brokering a peace treaty between both parties can help Israel and Gaza negotiate with each other, keeping in mind the casualties both sides have to bear due to the outbreak of war. Moreover, the peace agreement between Hamas and Israel should be conditioned with the term to avoid getting engaged in a military conflict for at least twenty-five years. Gaza has collapsed completely, and another inevitable outbreak of war would further collapse the remaining fragments of Gaza. Owing to this factor, the peace agreement should limit each other with conditions that comply with their interests.
- The UN can impose strict policies against war crimes
The United Nations (UN), known for its responsibility of keeping peace in the world, should step into the picture of the current Gaza and Israel conflict. For instance, The UN charter, especially Article 1 and Article 2(4), mandates the prevention of threats to peace and prohibits the unlawful use of force against civilians. Following this charter, the UN should impose strict policies against war crimes, particularly on the use of force against civilians, especially children and women. It is one of the principles of war not to damage infrastructure and kill children in the war. Ironically, as per the recent report of UNICEF, Israel has not just collapsed the infrastructure of Gaza but also killed more than 14,000 children since October 7th, 2024. It is the utmost responsibility of the UN to abide by its motto of keeping peace, analyze the conflict vigilantly and impose strict policies against war crimes.
- The UN can allow humanitarian aid without any interference
Gaza has been teetering on the brink of collapse since the outbreak of war, and in this critical moment, Israel has restricted movement and supply through the whole of Gaza. Israel has blocked Kerem Shalom, Erez, and Rafah crossings to hamper the movement of humanitarian aid in Gaza. All the crossings across the borders are under strict surveillance by the Israeli military. Alex de Waal, the war analyst, describes the situation of Gaza as a ‘forced famine’ brought on by forced restrictions on the supply of food and other resources. The United Nations can intervene by deploying peacekeeping teams, ensuring a smooth flow of aid throughout Gaza and helping people get basic resources.
- Non-governmental organizations like the Red Cross can supply medical aid and deploy international medical teams to treat the patients and masses
Non-governmental organizations like the Red Cross can play a positive role in supplying medical aid to Gaza. Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure is completely shattered as the hospitals, including Al-Shifa, have suffered severe damage from the attacks, leaving severely injured people in intensive care units without any access to life-saving resources. Moreover, strikes on refugee convoys and the Rafah crossing have also resulted in devastating injuries, leaving people with intense burning. According to a UNRWA report, Gaza is facing a severe shortage of basic medical supplies, with not enough bandages, antiseptics, or other essentials to clean and treat wounds adequately. The Red Cross organization can assist by supplying essential medical supplies and deploying a team of International medical teams to treat the patients and masses suffering from multiple and severe injuries.
- Organizations like UNRWA can give proper shelter to people residing in tents and basic amenities
As the infrastructure in Gaza is completely ruined, organizations like UNRWA can give proper shelter to people residing in tents and basic amenities. As 95 percent of its population is homeless, they lack the basic amenities to live a normal and bearable life. As per the recent reports of Al Jazeera, people living in tents have no access to clean water and food, which gives organizations like UNRWA a room to stand for the humanitarian cause and provide them with basic things required to live a normal life. Thus, UNRWA can help alleviate these sufferings and uphold its mission to support people in times of crisis.
B-Efforts to Promote Sustainable Development
- The World Bank can help Gaza build local partnerships
The World Bank can help Gaza build local partnerships by funding initiatives that support local partnerships and economic stability. These funds can be used to promote small businesses that are still operating amidst the war; as a result, this would help local vendors’ partnerships with international brands. Such partnerships can result in stabilizing the economy of Gaza and encourage a steady flow of currency. For Gaza to rebuild itself, it is important to boost its economy. As remnants of war have left the economy in steep decline, it is important to support small businesses to reduce poverty and offer an alternative for the survivors to be financially independent.
- The UN can work on healthcare system rehabilitation
Rebuilding the healthcare system rehabilitation is the most challenging thing to do, and as Gaza’s healthcare system is damaged to a great extent, the UN can help give enough funds to Gaza to rebuild its healthcare system rehabilitation. The current situation demands the building of additional hospitals and healthcare units to accommodate the overwhelming number of patients, including more than 15,600 patients requiring medical evacuation. According to the reports of Al Jazeera, only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are partially functioning, with 70 per cent of medications. The UN can provide funding for the rehabilitation of Gaza’s healthcare units and hospitals. This would also help patients get treatment on time and alleviate the suffering of ongoing war.
- The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) can help focus on education and skill development
As the infrastructure of Gaza is completely devastated, the educational institutes are in complete ruins. Many schools are being used as shelter homes for displaced families, but even these are damaged by Israeli airstrikes. As per the reports of BBC published recently, in the 2023 school year, there were no graduates due to the complete destruction of educational facilities, with approximately 1.5 million children affected and unable to attend school. Organizations like UNICEF can play a critical role in rebuilding educational institutions where children are taught again, with particular emphasis on trauma-coping strategies. The youth of Gaza are heavily under the psychological impact as they have witnessed worse atrocities, seen their loved ones’ dead bodies, and burned homes.
- The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) can introduce employment programs for youth
Stepping down the ladder, UNICEF can also introduce employment programs for youth and vulnerable groups. Initiating different youth programs in several countries can help the youth work on themselves and enhance their skills in order to adapt to the world’s changing needs. Throughout history, it is evident that nations equipped with skill sets can stabilize the country; a skilled youth of Gaza can also bring prosperity to their family and war-stricken homeland. These exchange programs can help them learn about the world and build their youth with more resilience.
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) can promote local businesses and offer free trade agreements with Gaza
Lastly, to promote local businesses, the IMF can step in and help Gaza reestablish its economy. The IMF can provide financial support to reconstruct infrastructure and assist local businesses in gaining international market exposure. Once the local industries are reestablished in Gaza, the IMF can bolster Gaza’s economy by negotiating free trade agreements with countries interested in trading with the region. As a result, this would help different countries build economic ties with Gaza so it is not isolated, and ultimately, this would strengthen the economy of Gaza.
Critical Analysis
Gaza is in severe need of efforts to deal with the ongoing humanitarian crisis, and international actors, mainly under the supervision of the USA, are acting like silent audiences who are watching the war theatre with little to no interest in humanity. Israel, being an ally of the USA, is in free hands to commit war crimes in the name of protecting itself from Hamas. It is high time that international actors, such as the United Nations, step into the battlefield and help Gaza breathe. The USA should mediate a peace agreement, demanding a permanent ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. Without the positive intervention of international actors, Hamas and Israel’s conflict can never end. Thus, the present scenario calls for urgent and pragmatic measures to mediate a permanent ceasefire and help Gaza rebuild itself.
Conclusion
International actors, such as the USA, international organizations like the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations like the UNRWA, UNICEF, and UNESCO, should play their part in addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis and promoting sustainable development in Gaza. From rebuilding healthcare systems to initiating peace agreements between Hamas and Israel, empowering local businesses, and giving medical aid, the international actors can take pragmatic measures in the rebirth of Gaza. Thus, without the international intervention of these actors, Gaza can never bring itself back to life, owing to the damage of long-escalated war.
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