Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1509870
10 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 18 OCTOBER 2023 ISRAEL - HAMAS WAR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Speaking to MaltaToday after the protest, the woman, originally from Gaza, expressed the an- guish and suffering that her family and fellow Pales- tinians continue to endure due to the decades-long conflict in the region. The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has spanned more than 75 years, and the woman be- lieves that the suffering is immeasurable. While war is never easy, the current situation is particularly challenging. "The 2014 conflict is frequently mentioned, but between that period and now, even more lives have been lost," she explained, "our hearts are broken, and we want to share the suffering with the Maltese so they understand what we are going through." The woman called for the international commu- nity, including the people of Malta, to comprehend the depth of their pain. The conflict may not make daily headlines, but its impact is unceasing. "We have been living this war, and why do we bear the blame? Is it because Hamas started it? But in- stead of asking who started it, shouldn't we be delv- ing into why it began?" she asked. "If you listen to the story from the end you will not understand," she added. Her plea for empathy is grounded in the belief that to truly grasp the suffering of Palestinians, one must comprehend the history and context of the conflict. The woman spoke of the longing of her people to return to their homeland, a dream deferred for gen- erations. Asked whether the war was ever about religion, El-Nahhal said Jerusalem is a holy land, important to Muslims, Christians and Jews alike. Coexistence, she said, has always been the hope. "It was never a question of my religion being better than yours, on the contrary, we have always wanted us to live together in peace." She said she dreams of unity and peace, but this will only happen if Israel stops fighting. "If Israel stops fighting, the suffering will stop, if we lay down our arms, there will be no more Palestine." MaltaToday also spoke to another Palestinian woman, who for her whole life, lived in the West Bank. The woman came to Malta in 2019 to study for- eign politics at the university of Malta. "I slowly started to tell people what is happening in Palestine, but I never get angry when they don't know what I am talking about," she explained. With a heavy heart, the woman expressed her deep frustration that, in this day and age, Palestinians still find themselves needing to justify their humanity and basic rights. "I get upset when people say it's not about my land or your land. I feel upset that in 2023, we still have to justify that we are humans, we have rights, and we should be living like normal people do." She highlighted the horrifying toll of the conflict, particularly on the most vulnerable. The loss of innocent lives, especially children, is a tragedy that cannot be ignored, she said, while ques- tioning why international responses seem to legiti- mise such violence. "When you have a country with the power to cut electricity and water supply, food, and medicine, that's genocide, not war," she said. 'I dream of unity and peace'