LETTER | It is saddening to see that in the midst of war and destruction that is currently going on in Gaza, there is a tendency among certain people to take on a narrow dimension of the conflict that meets their ideological worldview.

These people seem to lack understanding of the severity and cruelty of suffering of the common people that happens in war zones.

In this context, the game of partisanship can be seen among politicians and unscrupulous individuals on social media, where some respond from underlying communal prejudices that have sunk in their minds, such as the Palestinians are troublemakers that even the Arab world will not accept.

Some go on using religious texts distortedly, claiming that modern Israel has every right to Palestinian lands, or blaming Hamas for starting a conflict when the issues related to occupation and blockade of Palestine precede Hamas.

What is obvious is that while starvation and disastrous bombardment are a reality in Gaza, certain politicians and ideologues in the realm of public opinion and social media lack empathy and compassion.

They instrumentalise conflict on a partisan basis, leaving little or no space for empathy and compassion for the common people in their hearts.

What about human dignity?

The Palestinian people and the Israeli hostages are persons of human dignity.

They need conditions on the ground that would facilitate a peaceful climate that would ensure humanitarian aid reaches them efficiently and effectively.

One needs to place themselves in the shoes of the families in Gaza to understand the severity of suffering that is ongoing, where children have become orphans, and parents who stand helpless and unable to feed their children.

Recently, I watched Tucker Carlson, the American conservative commentator, who interviewed an army veteran called Anthony Angular.

He narrated a touching incident on how a young Palestinian boy called Amir was murdered by the Israeli army while seeking food in sites controlled by the so-called Gaza humanitarian foundation - presided over by Israel and the United States.

In the context of starvation, there was no water provided to thousands of Palestinians who walked seven to eight kilometres seeking food.

The US army veteran said the little boy, who looked thin and weak because of illness or lack of food - kissed his hand in gratitude upon receiving food aid, and in a short time, was killed by the Israeli army as he exited the area.

Such brutality transcends political leanings and should have brought an effective form of action by the international community.

It is not enough to declare a Palestinian state. There is a need to stop the carnage by effective political and economic action.

This could be done with empathy and compassion in the hearts of global political elites.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.