Written by Mohammad Mustafa

Mass Systemic Murder in Gaza: Beit Lahia Faces Ethnic Cleansing Amid Global Complicity

Beit Lahia, Gaza—December 1, 2024

The genocidal entity of Israel has escalated its campaign of mass murder and ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza, with the town of Beit Lahia now the epicenter of an unrelenting extermination campaign. Bombings, heavy artillery fire, and live bullets have transformed what remains of this town into a living nightmare. Thousands of Palestinians—elderly, disabled, children—are fleeing under fire, carrying only what remains of their lives. Entire families are being buried alive as Israeli occupation forces (IOF) target residential buildings, hospitals, and even those attempting to escape.

This is not an act of war; it is a calculated genocide enabled by billions in foreign aid, weapons, and diplomatic immunity provided by the United States, Canada, and European nations.

Beit Lahia Under Siege

Over the past week, Beit Lahia has been subjected to one of the most concentrated and devastating military assaults since the IOF’s genocidal campaign against Gaza began. Rescue workers from Gaza’s Civil Defense describe apocalyptic scenes as they pull bodies, piece by piece, from the rubble. Mahmoud Basal, Civil Defense spokesperson, confirmed that at least 93 Palestinians were murdered in a single airstrike on a residential building. Among the dead were 25 children. “More than 70% of the martyrs remain trapped under collapsed buildings,” Basal said.

As Muslims, we honor these martyrs, knowing that Allah (SWT) has promised them the highest station in Paradise. Their sacrifice is not in vain, for they died resisting the injustice and tyranny of oppression. We believe firmly in Allah’s promise that victory is assured for the oppressed, but it is our duty to take action, strive for justice, and leave the results to our Creator.

Those who survive the initial bombings find no refuge. The IOF has issued orders through drones mounted with loudspeakers, demanding residents leave their homes, only to shoot at them as they flee. The elderly and disabled, long unable to evacuate, now attempt to leave on foot despite the dangers. The IOF fires live bullets at those attempting to assist them. For those in the streets, there is no sleep. Continuous bombardments light the sky, and the ground shakes with each explosion.

One eyewitness, Rabie al-Shandagly, described the situation: “We don’t know where to go. Every path leads to death. Even hospitals are not safe.” Al-Shandagly’s family has been sheltering in a school surrounded by Israeli tanks. Others remain trapped in the ruins of homes, calling for help as Israeli quadcopters target rescue workers attempting to pull them out.

The Scale of Genocide in Gaza

Since the beginning of the genocidal assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023, over 300,000 Palestinians have been killed, including tens of thousands of children. Another 105,250 have been injured. At the most conservative estimates, at least 10,000 remain buried beneath rubble, their fates unknown. More than 85% of Gaza’s population—1.93 million people—have been forcibly displaced, with no safe zones left.

The destruction of infrastructure has left 87% of housing units in Gaza uninhabitable. Hospitals, schools, and shelters have all been targeted, with Kamal Adwan Hospital, the only functioning medical facility in Beit Lahia, struck multiple times. “We are overwhelmed. We can’t treat the wounded because we have no supplies, no electricity, and no water,” said Hussam Abu Safiya, the hospital’s director.

Complicity of Global Powers

This mass extermination is taking place with the active support of Western powers. Billions of dollars in U.S. military aid fund the weapons raining down on Gaza. The European Union provides diplomatic cover, ensuring that Israel remains shielded from international accountability.

For over 424 days, the world has watched as ‘Israel’ has carried out its genocidal campaign with impunity. This is not a spontaneous conflict; it is a systematic continuation of the Nakba—the violent displacement and oppression of Palestinians that began in 1948 under Zionist settler-colonialism.

The Call for Action: Sanctions, Embargoes, and Justice

The Palestine Diaspora Movement (PDM) condemns the systemic murder of Palestinians and calls for immediate global action. The international community must impose sanctions on the Israeli occupation, enact an arms embargo to halt the flow of weapons, and demand accountability for war crimes.

The massacre in Beit Lahia is a direct result of global inaction. Every dollar in military aid, every silence from international leaders, and every veto in the United Nations perpetuates this genocide.

The Fight for Palestinian Liberation

Ending the ongoing Nakba requires the dismantling of the settler-colonial structures that sustain this oppression. It requires securing the Right of Return for all displaced Palestinians, reparations for decades of displacement and violence, and the liberation of all occupied lands.

In Beit Lahia, entire families are being exterminated in broad daylight. Children die of hunger, elderly individuals are shot as they flee, and hospitals crumble under relentless shelling. This is not a humanitarian crisis—it is a genocide.

The PDM’s #CenterThePeople campaign calls on every person of conscience to mobilize, educate, and advocate for justice. We urge the international community to stand against the Zionist occupation and its systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing.

The images from Gaza are seared into history: bodies under the rubble, families fleeing through gunfire, and entire neighborhoods reduced to ash. Silence is complicity. The time to act is now.

As Muslims, we believe in the power of dua (prayer) and collective resistance. We call upon the global community to stand firm in action and call upon Allah for strength and victory.

Justice for Beit Lahia. Liberation for Palestine.