For ordinary people, survival, continuity, and self-assertion are the ultimate signs of victory against Israel, a country that does not hesitate to use genocide for temporary political gains.
Palestinian children celebrate in Khan Younis on October 9, 2025, following news of a new Gaza ceasefire deal.
(Photo by Omar AL-Qattaa / AFP via Getty Images)
Ramzy Baroud
Oct 25, 2025
For the last two years, my social media algorithm has been relentlessly dominated by Gaza, particularly by the voices of ordinary Gazans, displaying a blend of emotions that centers on two core principles: grief and defiance.
Grief has characterized life in Gaza for many years, a consequence of successive Israeli wars, the unrelenting siege, and habitual bombardment. The last two years, marked by genocide and famine, however, have redefined that grief in a way almost incomprehensible to the Palestinians themselves.
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Yes, Palestine has endured numerous massacres before, during, and since the Nakba—the tragic destruction of the Palestinian homeland. But those massacres were typically episodic, each distinctively marked by specific historical circumstances. Each is incorporated into the Palestinian collective psyche as proof of Israeli barbarity, but also as a demonstration of their own enduring resilience as a people.
I grew up in a Gaza refugee camp where we commemorated each massacre with rallies, general strikes, and artistic expressions. We knew the victims and immortalized them through chants, political graffiti, poetry, and the like.
The Palestinian nation has emerged even more deeply rooted in its identity, both in Gaza and elsewhere.
The war of extermination launched by Israel against Gaza in the last two years has fundamentally changed all of that. On a single day, October 31, 2023, the Israeli army killed 704 Palestinians, and 120 in the Jabaliya refugee camp alone. Single bombs would annihilate hundreds in one strike, often in hospitals, refugee shelters, or United Nations schools. Massacres were taking place every day, everywhere.
There was no time to reflect on any of these massacres, to pray for the victims, or even to bury them with proper dignity. All that Gazans could do was desperately try to cling to life itself, bury their loved ones in mass graves, and use their own bare hands to dig out the wounded and dead from underneath the massive slabs of concrete and mountains of rubble. Thousands remain unaccounted for, and about a quarter of a million Gazans have been killed and wounded.
The tally will continue to grow, and the degree of devastation keeps worsening, even now that the rate of killing has subsided. But why, then, does my social media feed continue to show Palestinians openly celebrating their victory? Why are Gaza’s children, though gaunt and exhausted due to the famine, continuing to perform traditional debka dances? Why is 5-year-old Maria Hannoun, one of Gaza’s many influencers, continuing to recite the poetry of Mahmoud Darwish and sending fiery messages to US President Donald Trump that Gaza will never be defeated?
To say that “Gazans are built differently” is a massive understatement. I have spent the last 20 years dedicated to academic research on the people’s history of Palestine, focusing heavily on Gaza, and I still find their collective will astonishing. They seem to have made a shared, conscious decision: The metrics for their defeat or victory would be entirely separate from those used by the media covering the war.
These measures are rooted in resistance as a foundational choice. Core values like Karamah (dignity), Izza (pride), and Sabr (patience), among others, are the standards by which Gaza judges its performance. And, by these profound standards, the people of the genocide- and famine-stricken strip have won this war.
Because these values are often ignored or misinterpreted in war coverage, many have found Gaza’s response to the ceasefire, one of unbridled joy and celebration, confusing. The scene of mothers waiting for their sons to be released in a large celebration in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, was particularly illuminating. They cried bitterly, while clapping and ululating all at once. One mother perfectly clarified the paradox for a reporter: The tears were for the sons and daughters killed in the war, and the ululating was for the ones being released.
News media, however, rarely understand the complexity of the Gaza survival paradigm. Some, including Israeli military analysts, have concluded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lost the war because he failed to achieve any of his declared objectives. Others speak of some kind of Israeli victory simply because Israel managed to obliterate nearly the whole of Gaza and a large section of its population.
Each side uses numbers and figures to back up their claims. Yet, Palestinians in Gaza view this situation in a fundamentally different way. They understand that Israel’s war was ultimately an attempt to destroy their very peoplehood—to shatter their spirit, disorient their culture, turn them against one another, and ultimately eradicate the core essence of being Palestinian.
Gazans celebrate precisely because they know Israel has failed. The Palestinian nation has emerged even more deeply rooted in its identity, both in Gaza and elsewhere. The child singing of the martyrs, the civil defense workers dancing the debka for their fallen comrades, and the woman using the wreckage of a destroyed Israeli Merkava tank to air her laundry—all these images speak of a nation unified by its love for life and its fierce commitment to shared values of valor, honor, and love.
Some analysts, trying to find a more nuanced and reasoned conclusion, have resolved that neither Israel won the war, nor were Palestinians defeated. While this balanced approach can be appreciated in terms of the strategic reading of the ceasefire, it is still profoundly incorrect when understood against the backdrop of popular Palestinian culture. For ordinary people, survival, continuity, and self-assertion are the ultimate signs of victory against Israel, a country that does not hesitate to use genocide for temporary political gains. The core of their triumph is simply this: They remain.
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Ramzy Baroud
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of the Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books including: "These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons" (2019), "My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza's Untold Story" (2010) and "The Second Palestinian Intifada: A Chronicle of a People's Struggle" (2006). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net.
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Mohammad is imprisoned in an overcrowded cell with no heating or cooling and “extremely insufficient” meals, he said.
By Sharon Zhang ,
A group of Democrats is demanding Israel release 16-year-old Mohammad Ibrahim after the Palestinian American child has described the horrific abuses he’s facing at the hands of Israeli officers in military prison.
On Tuesday, Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCIP) shared testimony from Mohammad. Israel has held Mohammad in pre-trial detention for eight months, during which Israel has barred him from seeing his family. He has lost a significant amount of weight and contracted scabies in that time.
The boy, who faces charges of rock throwing from Israeli authorities, detailed overcrowding and deprivation in Ofer military prison.
“[My] section consists of 19 rooms, each equipped with four bunk beds,” Mohammad told DCIP. “In each room, eight children occupy the beds, while the remaining children sleep on mattresses on the floor.”
“The mattresses, whether on the beds or on the floor, are extremely light and inadequate. Each prisoner receives two blankets, yet we still feel cold at night. There is no heating or cooling system in the rooms. The only items present are mattresses, blankets, and a single copy of the Quran in each room,” he said.
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Mohammad said that authorities feed prisoners “extremely insufficient” meals. They are not fed dinner, and are only given three “tiny” pieces of bread and a spoonful of labneh for breakfast, and, for lunch, “half a small cup of undercooked, dry rice, a single sausage, and three small pieces of bread.” The prisoners are also denied basic hygiene, with limited access to showers and soap, said the boy.
Israel is notorious for its treatment of Palestinian children, trying them in military prisons and detaining them without charges or trial. In March, a Palestinian child, Walid Khalid Abdullah Ahmad, collapsed and died in Israel’s notorious Megiddo prison after being systematically starved by Israeli guards. He was just 17 years old.
Mohammad is a U.S. citizen hailing from Florida, and was 15 when Israeli forces blindfolded and arrested him at his family’s home in the occupied West Bank in February. He is the cousin of Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old Palestinian American who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank in July.
Mohammad’s family has advocated for him to be released, saying that U.S. pressure would be instrumental in that effort — but the U.S. government has thus far refused.
On Wednesday, 27 Democrats sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, urging them to pressure the Israeli government to secure Mohammad’s release. The letter effort was led by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) and Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) and Representatives Kathy Castor (D-Florida) and Maxwell Frost (D-Florida).
The lawmakers note that no one has been arrested for the killing of Musallet, and expressed concern that a continued lack of pressure by the U.S. government could lead to death for young Mohammad, like it did for Walid.
“In a disturbingly similar case, and underscoring our urgency concerning Mohammed’s continued pre-trial detention, 17-year-old Palestinian Walid Ahmad collapsed and died in Megiddo Prison on March 22nd, 2025 after also being detained for six months without charges or trial for allegedly throwing rocks,” the lawmakers said. “It is the responsibility of the U.S. government to ensure that this recent tragedy does not repeat itself with Mohammed.”
“As we have been told repeatedly, ‘the Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad.’ We share that view and urge you to fulfill this responsibility by engaging the Israeli government directly to secure the swift release of this American boy,” they went on.
“Not even an American passport can protect Palestinian children,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, who directs DCIP’s accountability program. “Despite his family’s advocacy in Congress and involvement of the U.S. embassy, Mohammad remains in Israeli prison. Israel is the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes children in military court. Despite obligations under U.S. and international law, the American government either doesn’t have the will or the power to help Mohammad, and continues to send Israel weapons with no restrictions.”
Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan: View from Tehran
Israel destroyed Iran’s press center in June.
Don’t be fooled by Trump’s words on “Gaza peace”, his peace gesture, and promises of international aid
It has been two years since the unequal war of the Zionist regime against the defenseless and resilient people of Gaza. We are now at the most sensitive and turning point in world history. The major media under the control of the Zionists and the United States are seeking to divert public attention towards US President Donald Trump’s alleged peace in Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas in Gaza, the exaggeration of sending humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza region and international aid for the reconstruction of this war-torn region, and downplaying the great victory of the resistance and the people of Gaza.
Donald Trump administration has proposed a 21-point plan as the “final solution” for Gaza, but this plan, more than being a plan for peace, is a tactic or political trick for Trump to portray himself as the savior of the Middle East. Trump’s so-called peace plan ignores the main issues and roots of the crisis, especially the rights of the Palestinians. It does not create a lasting peace and is more in line with Trump’s own interests or the Zionist regime. It must also be emphasized that the restoration of the rights of the Palestinian people can only be achieved through resistance and an end to the occupation, not by encouraging criminals and their alleged plans.
The United States has given at least $21.7 billion in military aid to the Zionist regime during the two years of the Gaza war, when the Zionist regime has been engaged in genocide against the residents of the Gaza Strip. Even Trump himself has repeatedly acknowledged the issue, and this confession reveals the true face of the United States as the main party in the aggression against Gaza, not a mediator, and is conclusive evidence of Washington’s direct intervention in the massacre of Palestinians, especially women and children.
By publishing and producing mass news in the media under their control, the aggressors and criminals want to divert public attention to the fact that the war is over, but the war is not over, and that Gaza is still under siege, its cities are in ruins, and the oppressed and resistant people of Palestine are struggling with a lack of food, water, and medicine. The Zionist regime continues its crimes throughout occupied Palestine, including the West Bank, and every day we witness attacks and aggressions against Palestinian citizens, desecration of mosques and holy sites, attacks on gardens and farms, destruction of homes, and arrest of youth and children.
We warn:
Do not be fooled by Trump’s “peace” word. His so-called peace plan is a deception of public opinion. The nations and public opinion worldwide should remain vigilant about Trump’s plans and slogans, especially regarding the Middle East crises.
The word “peace” in Trump’s literature often does not mean lasting justice and stability, but rather a deception plan for short-term political goals or unilateral interests. Peace without justice is an illusion. Any agreement that ignores the main roots of the crisis, especially the occupation and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, cannot be called peace. These plans only seek to establish a “temporary ceasefire” and the release of hostages, and do not provide a guarantee for the formation of an independent Palestinian state or an end to the occupation.
The goal of these peace maneuvers is not to end the bloodshed, but to gain political advantage from the parties involved and consolidate the interests of the great powers and their supporting regimes.
Two Years of Resistance, Endurance, and the Unbroken Spirit of Gaza – including the resistance groups and the people, which is exemplary in history, were the main factors in Trump’s intervention to end the war and impose a ceasefire to save Netanyahu. This ceasefire agreement is primarily seen as an opportunity to whitewash the Zionist regime, move away from accusations of genocide, reduce the growing international pressure against this regime to exit the crisis, and give a sense of “political victory” that Netanyahu had not been able to achieve through military force during two years of war, siege, and a policy of starvation and destruction.
The Zionist regime’s war has proven to the world the steadfastness and resistance of the people of Gaza. The wave of global hatred of the Zionists has increased during this time, and we have witnessed and are witnessing widespread demonstrations in most countries of the world in support of Gaza. If it weren’t for journalists in the Palestinian media, the efforts of media supporting the axis of resistance, and the awakening of other media outlets around the world, we might not have witnessed this large-scale global demonstration in solidarity with Gaza. This is the first time that the Right Front has won the war of narratives against the Front of Infidelity and Arrogance. Of course, 255 Palestinian journalists were martyred in Gaza along the way, and their names and memories will be honored.
And a final word…
If the world is truly seeking to achieve real peace in Gaza, the real peace will be established when the occupation ends and all Palestinians are free to play a role in shaping their future.
Trump’s so-called peace is a cover for discrimination and oppression against Palestinians and a neglect of the main issue, which is the liberation of the entire Palestinian land. Let us not fall into the quagmire of deception and let Trump’s “fake peace” divert the victims of the crisis from achieving full rights and justice. We must resolutely resist any attempt to normalize injustice under the guise of the deceptive word “peace”. The world’s view must remain focused on Palestine, and the people of the world must continue to support the Palestinians.
In the near future, the world will witness internal divisions and growing problems of the Zionists, and these deceptions cannot stop the downward spiral of the criminal Zionist regime. And in the end, the blood of the children, women, and men of Gaza will continue to engulf them and drag them to the abyss of destruction.
Now, it is expected that regional and international journalists will enter Gaza to further expose and document the Zionist regime’s crimes and genocide in Gaza, and this request should be a demand from international organizations.
Qods News Agency
The Qods News Agency (Qodsna) is the first specialized news agency in Iran, focusing on issues related to the Palestinian cause. The Qodsna publishes first-hand news and articles on Palestine in three languages (http://qodsna.com/en).
They think it’s all over
OCTOBER 20, 2025
Ahead of tomorrow’s online Labour & Palestine event, Hugh Lanning explains why the latest ‘ceasefire’ falls a long way short of lasting peace and Palestinian self-determination.
Read the press, listen to the supposed leaders of the world congregating in Sharm El-Sheikh and you’d think Israel’s war on Gaza and the Palestinian people had ended. That we had peace in our time. The breaches and bombings by Israel already show that they regard this ceasefire as the same as all those that went before – there to be broken at their discretion.
The true intent of Trump’s plan can be seen from those queuing up behind him to make money out of the genocide. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is organising companies through his investment business, Affinity Partners, to be ready to grab a large share of the business of reconstructing Gaza. Not to be outdone, the British Government has hosted a three-day PFI gala in London with the same purpose.
It is transparently obvious that this is not about the self-determination of the Palestinian people. It is about creating a new neo-colonial infrastructure overseen and controlled by the US and Israel, that Palestinians – as long as they are well behaved – will be able to inhabit. But it won’t be an independent state in any meaningful sense.
This isn’t an abstract, technical issue about the nature of a nation state: for Palestinians it is a very real one. For the last 70 years Israel has been constructing an apartheid regime from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. It is based on stolen Palestinian land enforced by Israel’s military might, funded and supplied by the West and the US in particular.
The truth of the agreement signed in Egypt over the heads of the Palestinians can be easily judged. Do the Palestinians get their land back, does Israel withdraw from the 60% of Gaza it has militarily occupied? Will the military occupation of the West Bank end? Will Palestine be able to have its own security forces, laws and courts?
Then there’s the issue of what the borders will be. Israel has never set any limit to its borders; it has never recognised the right of Palestine to exist. Netanyahu and his Government have repeatedly stated there will never be a Palestine they will recognise, and made it clear they want a ‘greater Israel’ from the “river to the sea” – a claim not decried by Starmer as racist and anti-Palestinian. A two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital is a million miles from Israel’s mind.
If not a million miles, then a million settlers. Is Israel promising to remove a single settlement or settler – all illegal under international law? Quite the reverse, Israel wants this process to result in the normalisation and international acceptance of its colonisation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It leaves the Palestinians in a string of unsustainable Bantustans dependent on external aid and trade. There’s no mention of the wall being taken down or removed to within the 1967 borders. It will continue to enclose and imprison the Palestinian people.
Will Palestine have control of its own borders, as most Western countries are currently saying is so vital to protect their democracies from invading migrants and refugees? Will it be allowed to expel its unwanted Israeli ‘immigrants’, withdraw their ‘leave to remain’? Will Palestinians be able to travel, trade, import and export freely – restoring its airport, rail and sea links?
We know the answer to all these questions – none of them are positive. The two states the Western powers are pretending to be interested in is nothing but a wafer-thin cover story used to mask the reality of the war crimes they have committed. These crimes cannot be un-done by a phony peace agreement that entrenches Israel’s power.
If the truce, pause or ceasefire sustains itself for days, weeks or months – it will never undo the many red lines of international law that have been crossed. It is not only Netanyahu and his criminal colleagues that need to be arrested and held to account in the Hague, but the British and Western Governments complicit in these crimes. This wasn’t just a crime of sitting on their hands, doing nothing while the genocide went on – it was the active collaboration of our arms industry, our intelligence services and our armed forces. We were, indeed still are, part of Israel’s war machine.
In addition to these issues, there is a growing body of evidence, not only of Israel’s genocide, but of its ‘ecocide’. It has deliberately destroyed Palestinian agricultural land, its olive trees, its farms and animals. It has poisoned the land, polluted the water and aquifers, destroyed its water, electrical and sewage systems.
In this context, it is not the time to wind down our campaigning in support of Palestine. We need to continue to build, focus and develop the strength and impact of our work. Whilst Labour tries to find more and more ways to limit the right to protest, it is fighting a losing battle. The tide of global opinion, justice, the younger generation, voters – all are against this totalitarian ‘Iron Heel’ agenda Labour is rolling out as part of its ongoing sectarian onslaught on all its critics. Unless of course you happen to be a racist, right-wing reformist.
The agenda we should be supporting is the decolonisation of Israel’s apartheid regime – brick by brick, settlement by settlement, until there is a genuinely free, viable, secure Palestine, recognisable as a state, not just in name but in reality, too.
Hugh Lanning is an officer of Labour and Palestine and former Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Freedom for Palestine – the defining issue of our time
Online, Tuesday, October 21st, 18.30. Register here
Palestinian speakers live + Ryvka Barnard (PSC,) Richard Burgon MP, John McDonnell MP, Jess Barnard (Labour NEC), Hugh Lanning & Rachel Garnham (chair.)
A vital discussion in light of developments around the Trump plan and ceasefire, the deepening criminalisation of pro-Palestine protestors here and Labour Conference terming Israel’s illegal war on Gaza a genocide.
Hosted by Labour & Palestine association with Arise.
Image: c/o Labour Hub.
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