2021 was heartbreaking. Palestinians died left and right. Meanwhile, the number of Israeli casualties doesn’t compare. Catastrophic events have been happening all year, from the Sheikh Jarrah clashes to the attacks in Jerusalem. Brace yourself for a highlighted timeline of grief and sorrow. This is how many have died in Palestine during a fight for a home and freedom.
What the media portrays as a “fair-fight” is not fair at all, and with each passing year, more and more atrocities are committed on the pretext of security. Will this carry on forever?
April
East Jerusalem in Palestine was the battleground. Far-right Jewish extremists marched the Damascus Gate entrance of Jerusalem’s Old City, and they were chanting “Death to Arabs.” The fight between Palestinians, Jewish extremists and Israeli police resulted in injuries and deaths. The police used tear gas, stun grenades, and water cannons. Meanwhile, Palestinians fought off Jewish extremists with stones and bottles. That resulted in 50 arrests, 20 Israeli police officers hurt, and 100 Palestinians injured.
May
After the Supreme Court of Israel decided on the eviction of six families from Sheikh Jarrah, Palestinians protested in East Jerusalem. The demonstrations got violent and rioters raided Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine, which of course got a defensive and brutal response from the Israeli forces. Hamas then gave the Israeli forces an ultimatum to withdraw. Israeli forces didn’t give them an answer so Hamas launched rockets. Israel’s counter-response was to airstrike Gaza, which led to worldwide protests against the eviction.
According to OHCHR, 256 Palestinians were killed and 2,000 were injured; one-third of the lost ones were children. Only civilians died, as there were no militant kills in the strike. Meanwhile, 13 Israelis were killed, including two children and six women. In the West Bank, 36 Palestinians were killed and 100 got injured.
It’s an unfair fight
These bloodshed-filled events were the ones under the spotlight, but they’re not all that happened. There are many incidents where people got murdered casually whilst living their daily lives. There’s that one time the Israeli military killed a Palestinian because he was holding an iron bar and approaching them. An old Palestinian woman was run over by an Israeli driver during a hit and run. Israeli Defense Forces killed a 13-year-old boy because he threw rocks at them. Matter of fact, 2021 is the deadliest year for Palestinian children, as the Israeli forces and armed Israeli civilians killed 78 minors in West Bank and Gaza.
The rough math of deaths and injuries in those main traumatizing events is scary. The total number of Palestinians killed is 292, and the total number of wounded is 2200. Meanwhile, 13 Israelis were killed, and 20 were injured. There’s a huge gap in the number between Palestinians and Israeli victims. It is incomparable. Since the year is yet to come to an end, the exact numbers aren’t available. However, we can take a look at the United Nation’s statistics of the human cost of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the years, and you would see the pattern.
The co-existence of Israel and Palestine on one land is not achievable, and we got years and years to back it up. Will it ever end?