After two years of relentless war sparing no civilians, what is the situation in Gaza and the West Bank? What are the living conditions for Palestinians?
First, I would like to draw attention to the fact that the killing, oppression, and racist practices of the occupying state did not begin two years ago. Anyone can look back in history — 20 months, or even decades — and see what has happened.
There has been no peace in the Holy Land. Neither Muslim nor Christian Palestinians have enjoyed freedom. Instead, there has been slaughter, destruction, land theft, settlement building, the desecration of religious symbols, and restrictions on worship for Muslim and Christian believers alike.
The local population was not prepared for a massacre of this magnitude. Now, a situation similar to the Nakba has developed, when over 700,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes and more than 500 villages were destroyed. That was seventy-seven years ago.
Today’s persecution is even more tragic than the Nakba. The Israeli occupiers drove out people from Gaza whose families had already fled their homeland in 1948 and were forced into refugee camps.
The destruction, devastation, and number of victims is immense. All of this has played out before the eyes of humanity. The people of Gaza are in deep pain, not only because they have lost everything, but also because they are bitter due to international helplessness and indifference.
How is it possible that those who spoke of human rights and equality silently watched this barbaric destruction unfold?
Since the outbreak of war, more than fifty-six thousand people have died and more than one hundred thirty-three thousand have been injured in Israeli attacks. The majority are women, children, and elderly people. Most of the male victims and wounded are also civilians — fathers and husbands with no connection to the armed conflict.
Seventy percent of the Gaza Strip has been destroyed. Some communities have been completely leveled to the ground. 95 % of Rafah and 90 % of Beit Hanoun have been ruined due to Israeli attacks.
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What losses has Palestinian society suffered?
The tens of thousands of civilian victims include the loss of intellectuals as well. Final data is not yet available, but among the victims are 350 university students, 150 academics, and nearly 100 journalists, not to mention teachers, doctors, lawyers, and many others. But it’s not just human losses. There is the Gaza Library, which completely burned down — an institution twice as old as the State of Israel. Educational, health, and social institutions, as well as public utilities, have been virtually destroyed.
But the Palestinian people are strong and resilient. A living example is the Palestinian student who, thanks to the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship, was able to study in Hungary. This academic year, he achieved the best results among the scholarship holders — all while under enormous pressure, as his parents and relatives live in Gaza and have endured terrible things over the past two years. The Palestinian Embassy in Hungary is especially proud of its students’ achievements and rewards them with special recognition. Omar Abu Sahmud, a Palestinian student, is living proof that despite all the pain and loss, we still hold onto the hope for a brighter future. That is the message behind honoring these students.
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The war against Gaza has diverted attention from the West Bank and East Jerusalem. What is happening there now?
We must not forget the West Bank. Right now, literal ethnic cleansing is taking place in the region — quietly and away from international scrutiny — but the massacres against Palestinians are systematic and premeditated.
In the West Bank, refugee camps where the descendants of Palestinians expelled in 1948 lived have been demolished. It is important to speak about this, as on Nakba Day — the day commemorating the expulsion of Palestinians — the Jenin refugee camp was attacked by occupying forces. Tens of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank have already become homeless because Israeli forces have demolished their homes and forbidden them from returning.
Throughout history, we have seen people starve and suffer from droughts and epidemics, but in Gaza, dozens of Palestinian children die every day simply because they do not have adequate food. Not because there is no drinking water or food in the region, but because a murderous force is destroying them.
This alone is why many nations rightly stand with the Palestinians — because they refuse to accept that people in Palestine are dying pointlessly.
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But where is the Arab and Islamic world to stand up to this destruction and killing?
I always hear this from those who stand in solidarity with us. This is the question asked by those who stand up for human rights and condemn the crimes that have been taking place for seventy-seven years and have become completely evident in the last twenty months.
In such a question, the obvious counter-question is: Where was the Christian world when everyone witnessed the humiliation of Christians in Jerusalem who only wanted to pray in their own churches? Where was the Christian West when the occupying forces prevented Christians from celebrating their religious holidays? Where was the Christian world when Israeli snipers killed Palestinian Christian women who sought refuge in a church, believing the Christian world would never tolerate people being harmed in a house of worship? Or when, three years ago, an Israeli sniper shot a Christian journalist in Jenin, who was clearly identified as a journalist? Where was the Christian world when churches were bombed and destroyed, and the Israeli air force targeted the world’s third-oldest church in Gaza? Where was the Christian world when it saw the alarming decline in the number of indigenous Palestinian Christians year after year?
I ask: is not the land of Jesus Christ Palestine? Is the Holy Land not the birthplace of Christianity? Is it not the duty and right of Christianity to protect the Christian presence there? Are these not valid questions?
They ask about the Arab world — but what about Europe? It proclaims ethics and principles. It speaks of human rights, equality, dignity, and justice. Where are these values when it comes to Palestine?
When faced with these questions, I feel as if skin color, race, or religion suddenly matters. This is a huge mistake. A child whose life is taken away, who is deprived of their toys, who experiences the grief of losing a mother or father or both, is still a child, regardless of skin color, race, or religion.
Morality is indivisible. Principles are indivisible. They do not change depending on the victim’s background.
First, the genocide must be stopped. Then the occupation must end. After that, the Palestinian people must be liberated. Only then can we talk about peace. This is the duty of anyone who believes in the values of humanity. Whoever chooses to remain silent — silence makes one complicit — will have no right in the future to speak out if another person faces atrocities.
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Four years ago, several Arab countries signed the Abraham Accords one after another. Now that Donald Trump is president again, what can be expected from Arab leaders?
The State of Palestine has a clear position on this matter. Any agreement with the occupying state that does not align with the “Land for Peace” plan does not serve the Palestinian cause.
There is an initiative, known as the Arab Peace Initiative, which was drafted by Arab and Muslim countries in 2002. This peace plan is based on the principle of land for peace. Fifty-seven countries support it. That means if the Israelis were to recognize an independent Palestinian state and withdraw from the occupied territories — in line with UN resolutions — then nearly sixty countries would automatically make peace with Israel.
But let me go further. Even if Israel signs peace agreements one by one with Arab countries, if it does not come to terms with the rightful owners of the land, the conflict will always persist. No matter how much lobbying is done in various capitals, it is hopeless. As long as they do not accept that other people also have the right to live in the Holy Land, the conflict will continue.
Today, Israel has an extremist leadership. The survival of the Israeli government is linked to continuing to fuel the conflicts in Gaza and the West Bank. The current government has an interest in continuing the destruction and slaughter. If Netanyahu were to choose a more peaceful solution, his support within the coalition would likely disappear.
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So, is it true that the factions within the Israeli government are united by the fact that they are waging war against the Palestinians?
International and Arab experts and analysts agree with this. Even Israeli newspapers have written that if any agreement were to be reached between the Palestinians and Israelis, the Netanyahu government would immediately collapse.
Netanyahu only sends delegations to negotiations to buy time. But in reality, he has no interest in stopping the war.
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With this understanding that the war will not end, what will happen to the people of Gaza? What future can Palestinians expect?
For us, the most important thing is to live with dignity. We fight and suffer to preserve our dignity. Otherwise, the more than two million people in Gaza would have found another solution long ago.
Both the Palestinians and the Egyptian leadership have presented detailed plans on how to rebuild the Gaza Strip. These plans are supported by many countries in the region. It only depends on Israel when the war ends and when the people’s suffering ends.
Despite the war conditions, people do not want to leave Gaza. They will never leave their homeland.
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Why do you think most European media, including Hungarian outlets, only broadcast Israel’s perspective and silence the Palestinians? European right-wing parties have also distanced themselves from the Palestinians and fully side with Israel.
Unfortunately, Palestinian media struggles to present its vision, especially on Western platforms. They cannot widely disseminate their news and reality. A small number of hands control most Western media outlets. Because of this, the European press mostly promotes the Israeli perspective.
It is essential to note that most European media outlets have substantial financial backing, which affords them significant influence. Most Western media do not take an objective stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but operate as a propaganda machine supporting Israel.
For example, they portray Gaza as if everyone there is either an armed fighter or a supporter of some organization. This is a similar lie to the “human shield” theory, which has never been proven but is repeated so much that people believe it. Such news strengthens the Israeli narrative. Do social media platforms behave similarly? Facebook banned me for a month just for sharing a photo of a murdered Palestinian child.
Most media outlets have never stood with us. Let me give examples: When a Palestinian dies, the media describe it as if a Palestinian fighter was hunted down. But if an Israeli soldier dies, they immediately name the person and list relatives mourning them. This is nothing new. The media world has always applied double standards to Palestinians.
This shows that most Western media owners have interests closely tied to occupying Israel. That’s why most traditional media are pro-Israel.
Social media, which also acts as a news platform, brought a new dimension to news reporting. As a result, the influence of print media decreased. Online portals also cannot prevail without social media profiles. Initially, the Palestinian viewpoint successfully competed with the Israeli perspective and widely introduced the Palestinian cause to the world. However, the owners of these social media platforms also have similar ties with Israel as others. Because of this, they control and block posts supporting Palestinians. But they cannot silence everyone.
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Western politicians and media are pro-Israel. What is the stance of Western societies, including civil organizations and communities? How did they respond to the recent war?
Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to present the Palestinian viewpoint and explain the war from a Palestinian perspective on two or three occasions. That is very little. The other side expressed their opinion daily. That forced us to strengthen and use our own tools. We opened channels on social media to show the world what is really happening in Gaza.
As a result, an increasing number of people received the real news and responded with shock. I believe most Hungarians stand with us, at least those I met all expressed solidarity with the Palestinians. Most people do not make decisions based on emotion, but rather guided by their convictions.
We see that most people stand for human rights, which belong to every nation. Therefore, Palestinians receive broad social support because every person has the right to self-determination, including Palestinians.
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What do you think about the fate of the Palestinian refugees? Is it true that they will have no choice but to leave their homeland?
Honestly, I thought that on this issue we would share the same position as Hungarian politics. Why? Because Hungary and its leadership have a clear refugee policy. That’s why it was shocking that Hungary fully agrees with Netanyahu. One would not think that it is possible to find supporters for the expulsion of two million Palestinians.
The logical and sensible approach would be to protest against any kind of expulsion and deportation that affects a people. If you truly want to preserve the ethnic and cultural identity of your country, the first thing is to oppose any form of deportation and persecution. That’s why I thought Hungary’s stance on this issue would be clear and unequivocally against the expulsion of Palestinians.
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Europe considers itself Christian, at least culturally. Hungary and its government stand much more firmly behind Christianity and support Middle Eastern Christian communities. Yet, the overwhelming majority of Christian Palestinians no longer live in the Holy Land. Why is that?
I would say many don’t even believe there are Christian Palestinians. Many Christians live in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. I myself grew up in Gaza, and though I am Muslim, I studied in a Christian church school.
Before the 1948 Nakba, or Palestinian displacement, Christians made up about 11 % of the population in the Holy Land. Now their proportion barely reaches 1 %. When analyzing the reasons for the Christian Palestinian emigration, persecution always comes up. It’s very important to name who and why persecutes Christian Palestinians. The main cause of Christian Palestinian emigration is the presence of occupying forces in the Holy Land. Israel’s goal is to completely empty the area of Christians. This changes Palestine’s demographics. These actions continue today in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where attacks against Christian communities are frequent. Recently, residents of the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem faced atrocities. The occupiers try to forcibly buy Christian properties.
The situation in Gaza is dramatic. Only about five hundred Christian Palestinians live there, half the number before the current war. Israelis have always treated Christians as a minority, which we totally reject. Christian Palestinians are equal to everyone and are a nation-building part of the Palestinian people.
This proves that Palestinians have lived here for millennia and rightly demand their lands, regardless of their religion—Christian, Muslim, or Jewish.
Christian Palestinians in Gaza are shot and attacked by occupying forces as well. At the start of the recent war, Gaza’s Christians sought refuge in churches, but Israeli forces attacked those too, killing 18 innocent Christians in one attack. In another incident, Israeli snipers deliberately shot and killed two Christian Palestinian women.
I must tell the Hungarian people that it is their duty to stand with Palestinians because they are human. What is being done against Palestinians, including Christians, is genocide. They are trying to wipe us off the face of the earth. Despite this, many stand with us. Pope Francis II has also provided much help and always shown concern for the Gaza and West Bank communities.
Christian Palestinians primarily expect to be seen as humans and Palestinians. They want support not because they are Christians, but because they are Palestinians who have the right to live in their own land and country. This is against Tel Aviv’s goal that no Christian remains in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, or anywhere in Palestine.
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We read about a political consultation meeting between Hungary and Palestine. Could you tell us more about it?
This important meeting took place after an eight-year pause. From the Hungarian side, Henrietta Balajthi, Political Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and from the Palestinian side, Ambassador Adel Attia, Director of the European Affairs Department at the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated.
The meeting was a good opportunity to restore channels and relations between the two friendly countries. Hungary and the Hungarian people are friends of Palestine, and we share many common experiences.
This should not have been delayed so long. It is healthy to continue exchanging views on all matters. The more such meetings are held at different diplomatic levels, the closer our positions will become, and we will gain a better understanding of perspectives on issues that may seem contradictory at first, while arriving at a joint formula that satisfies all.
Of course, most discussions remain behind closed doors, but I can say this is a very important step toward rebuilding bridges between the two friendly countries, which have more in common than separates them.
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Could you talk about the Palestinian presence and community in Hungary?
Palestinians are a proud people. Proud of their roots, their land, and their history. Wherever they find a new home, they always leave a positive mark.
I would note that the Palestinian community in Hungary, although small—comprising barely eight hundred people—is actively involved in Hungarian society. Palestinian doctors in Hungary have their own association and have provided many services and support to social institutions. Palestinian businessmen are actively participating in the Hungarian economy. Many Palestinian lawyers and university professors work here. Importantly, no person of Palestinian origin is in prison, nor is anyone under criminal investigation. I believe these are crucial signs of an inclusive society, where foreign individuals contribute to and advance society rather than hinder its development.
The mentioned number also includes students who participate in Hungarian education either with Hungarian state scholarships or at their own expense. Speaking of students, Palestinian students have shown great commitment and dedication. In studies, they have excelled—I mentioned earlier Omar Abu Sahmoud, a Palestinian student who won Hungary’s best foreign student award, which he considered the most valuable gift he could give to his homeland and parents, who now live in catastrophic conditions in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian students have learned the Hungarian language, adapted to Hungarian culture, and gained an understanding of the history of this ancient people.
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Finally, as a closing remark, what would you say to Hungarian readers?
The Palestinian people have their own history. It has suffered occupation for seventy-seven years, enduring much and suffering greatly, more than the human mind and heart can grasp.
Palestinians love life. A life with dignity. What our young and old dream of is freedom. They dream of an independent state, like every nation on this earth. What we demand is only to live freely on our own land, the land of our ancestors, and the land of our grandchildren. We will continue to be present on this land until justice is fulfilled. We will persist until Palestine’s freedom is realized.
by Magyar JELEN
02.07.2025
