Priya writes

The disaster in Gaza continues to unfold in more horrific ways. It’s hard to talk about this. It’s even harder to write about this. Irrespective of which side is right or wrong, some things are undeniably unconscionable: Taking innocent people hostage and keeping them hostage; And besieging entire populations & starving & mercilessly bombing them.

Writing reams hasn’t helped either side, especially Gazans who have remained under occupation for decades before this new crisis erupted. Today we saw a new low when the extremely fragile ceasefire fell apart by continuos bombing in the middle of the night leaving over 400 people, of whom 130+ are kids dead. It is important to note that no aid had entered Gaza in the last 16 days, as the first phase of the ceasefire came to a close.

When did the lives of children matter so little? Which God says children should be massacred? And why should we even follow these so-called leaders who seem to have no shred of conscience left and think it is ok to bomb civilians and impose collective punishment? The world watches in silence, complicit in its inaction. Governments release statements of concern while continuing to arm those carrying out the destruction. Media spins narratives to justify the unjustifiable. Meanwhile, hospitals are reduced to rubble, families are wiped out in an instant, and entire neighborhoods are erased.

I have no answers. If anything, a very small part of me is clinging on to some dying embers of hope that people will wake up and see through the politics of this all. But a big part of me, the omnipresent cynical part thinks we are battling forces beyond our control. And now we know how the Holocaust happened. Now we know how the Rwandan genocide happened. We are watching the dark history of tomorrow unfold today and at this point i don’t know what can even stop this monstrosity.

But there is something we can do. People power has always been a force against oppression. Resistance takes many forms—on the ground, in the streets, in the economy, and in our daily choices. Boycotts have historically played a crucial role in dismantling unjust systems, from apartheid South Africa to the civil rights movement in the U.S. Today, refusing to support companies and institutions complicit in the occupation and genocide of Palestinians is a tangible way to resist. We cannot claim to be helpless when we have the power to divest, to disrupt, and to demand accountability.

For now, I will do my bit. I will continue to resist; I will continue to boycott & I will continue to bear witness. Because that’s the least we can do as living, feeling human beings.