SINGAPORE: In a recent video, Singaporean activist and Love Aid Singapore founder Gilbert Goh shared an emotional interview with a Palestinian teen, who expressed her heartfelt wishes following the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, which brought an end to 15 months of devastating conflict in Gaza.
The girl, now a refugee due to the prolonged war, shared that her first desire after the war ends is to return to her home in the north.
“At the same time, I will grieve the absence of my father, who was martyred in this war,” she said tearfully.
“We have endured immense pain and hardship since my father passed away,” the teen added. Overwhelmed by sadness as she spoke, her tears interrupted her words, reflecting the profound grief of losing her family members.
Commenting on the video, Goh remarked, “With the onset of a ceasefire, Palestinians will still need a lot of time to mourn the loss of 46,000 lives taken during this genocidal war.”
“Some may take longer time to recover, others shorter but many unfortunately may not recover at all from the emotional turmoil of a one-sided war, ” he said.
He further noted that many Palestinians have lost at least one family member, while some have lost their entire families, leaving them completely alone.
“The recovery thus will be long and a tough journey for many Palestinians left behind in Gaza by their loved ones who have perished in the war.”
Expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people, Goh assured them that Singaporeans would stand alongside them throughout their journey of healing.
Love Aid Singapore Pledges Continued Support for Palestinians During Ceasefire
Separately, Goh shared in another post that Love Aid Singapore will continue cooking for Palestinians even during the ceasefire, until they become self-sufficient in providing meals for themselves.
He added that thousands of trucks will be required to deliver adequate food supplies to Gaza during the ceasefire, enabling the besieged strip to meet its own needs.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely before gradually scaling down humanitarian aid for both northern and southern Gaza,” Goh said.
Human Rights Watch Calls for Accountability for Crimes Committed in Israel and Gaza Since 7 October 2023
On 15 January, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed that a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel is set to take effect on Sunday, 19 January.
The agreement promises a phased cessation of hostilities, the release of hostages, and expanded humanitarian aid.
The deal follows months of negotiations in Doha.
However, the humanitarian crisis remains severe, with aid agencies ramping up their relief efforts.
International organizations, including the Red Cross, are preparing to expand operations, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a focus on prioritizing humanitarian relief.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, Israeli airstrikes and ground operations continue.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health has reported 30 additional fatalities since the agreement’s disclosure, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 46,707, with over 110,000 wounded since 7 October 2023.
Hamas-led attacks on Israel at the start of the conflict have resulted in 1,139 Israeli deaths and over 200 hostages taken.
Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan welcomed the ceasefire and announced that Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman would visit Jordan next week to deliver a cheque to a Jordanian charity.
Additionally, Singapore is preparing to send another tranche of humanitarian supplies to Palestinians, with more fundraising efforts planned during the holy month of Ramadan.
At a press conference on 16 January to launch Human Rights Watch’s annual report, HRW chief Tirana Hassan called for accountability for the “heinous crimes” committed “on and since 7 October 2023” in Israel and Gaza.
“While Israeli officials and Hamas agreed to a multi-phase ceasefire on 15 January, the heinous crimes committed before and after 7 October 2023 must not go unpunished,” Hassan stated.
“While the ceasefire will provide some relief for the millions of displaced people inside Gaza, it is not a solution in itself,” she added.
According to UN estimates, at least 1.9 million people—90 percent of Gaza’s population—have been displaced due to Israel’s offensive. Additionally, about 345,000 people face “catastrophic levels” of food insecurity.
“What is needed moving forward is humanitarian access. This includes allowing materials to rebuild critical infrastructure, such as water systems and health services, which have been decimated during the conflict, alongside continued humanitarian relief,” Hassan concluded.
