Centered on the death of a two-week-old baby in Gaza, this commentary condemns global indifference to civilian suffering.
by Yumna Zahid Ali, Guest Commentator
How can we have heated streets for cars, but not heated homes for babies? How can we build heated bus shelters for people waiting fifteen minutes, but not for families waiting a lifetime for housing? In Gaza today, life has become a battle against the elements, against hunger, and against despair. Among the ruins of bombed-out homes and flooded streets, a two-week-old baby named Muhammad Khalil Abu al Khair froze to death. Yes… You heard that right. FROZE TO DEATH.
Is there any excuse, any justification, that can explain a baby dying of a cold in a world with central heating, charity drives, and holiday fundraisers?
We have the technology to alert a phone when a package is left in the rain, but no alarm bell rings when a child’s core temperature plummets in a city of millions. We deliver hot food to our doorsteps in minutes. Why is delivering basic warmth to a doorstep a logistical impossibility? We have weather satellites that can track a storm forming over an ocean. Do we not have the moral foresight to track the storm of deprivation gathering over a human being? We build submarines that can explore the crushing depths of the Mariana Trench and rovers that photograph the dust of Mars. But we claim it is a “complex challenge” to deliver a solar-powered heater and a tarp to a family sleeping in a rain-soaked tent.
Our priorities are not flawed; they are corrupt.
Yes! Little Khalil did not “die.” He was murdered by the policy of a blockade that values the security of a border more than the life of a child. He was murdered by a vote in a parliament that funded more weapons but choked off medicine. He was murdered by the cowardice of every world leader who calls for “restraint” while children freeze to death. His autopsy would list hypothermia, but the truth is murder by political decision.
We have air-conditioned dog kennels and data servers that never dip below 70°F. But we lack the basic humanity to guarantee that a human child does not succumb to the elements. Explain that hierarchy of compassion. Name one justification. Go ahead. Try to explain why a box of donated blankets sat undistributed while a newborn froze.
There is none. Only evil.
About the author ~
Yumna Zahid Ali is a writer and educator who spends her free time reading, analyzing literature, and exploring cultural and intellectual debates. When she’s not writing for global audiences, she enjoys reflecting on societal issues and using her voice to challenge inequities, especially those affecting women. She also loves diving into history, believing that remembering the past is an act of defiance and a way to hold power accountable.
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TAGS: opinion on baby freezing to death in Gaza, Gaza humanitarian crisis civilian suffering, moral responsibility of world leaders Gaza, political decisions and civilian deaths opinion, war displacement and infant mortality Gaza
ST. LOUIS – #20 Illinois took Missouri out to the woodshed for an old fashion 91-48 whooping in the annual McBride Homes Braggin' Rights game at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on Monday night.
Photo: Fighting Illini Athletics
Andrei Stojakovic delivered 16 points and three boards in Illinois' win over the Tigers on Monday. Making double-digits for his third straight game, it was Stojakovic's seventh for the Fighting Illini. The junior tied his season-high with two 3-pointers.
What began as a measured rivalry matchup quickly turned into a one-sided showcase of depth, physicality and shooting as the Fighting Illini overwhelmed the Tigers in every facet. Illinois outscored Missouri 50-23 in the second half, turning a competitive early contest into the most lopsided result in the history of the series.
Illinois asserted itself on the glass and never let go. The Illini finished with a commanding 43-24 rebounding edge, including 15 offensive boards that fueled 29 second-chance points. Missouri managed just five second-chance points and struggled to find any rhythm inside, scoring only 18 points in the paint.
After four ties in the opening minutes, Illinois began to create separation midway through the first half. A five-point burst gave the Illini a 19-14 edge, and moments later an 11-2 run stretched the margin into double digits for the first time. Illinois knocked down three 3-pointers during that surge and carried a 32-20 lead before closing the half on a 9-3 run to take a 41-25 advantage into the locker room.
Freshman guard Keaton Wagler set the tone early and never cooled off. Wagler finished with a game-high 22 points, scoring 16 in the first half while shooting with confidence from the perimeter. He connected on a career-high five 3-pointers, grabbed eight rebounds, handed out four assists, blocked two shots and added two steals in a complete performance that reflected Illinois’ dominance.
Photo: Fighting Illini Athletics
Illinois' Kylan Boswell dribbles around Mizzou's Jacob Crews. Boswell finished the game with six points and three rebounds.
Any thought of a Missouri response vanished quickly after halftime. Illinois opened the second half with an 11-2 run, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Tomislav Ivisic, forcing a Missouri timeout less than two minutes in. The Illini continued to apply pressure, holding the Tigers without a field goal for nearly six minutes during one stretch and steadily widening the gap.
Ivisic finished with 14 points, five rebounds and an assist, while Andrej Stojakovic added 16 points on efficient shooting. Zvonimir Ivisic provided a spark off the bench with a season-high 11 rebounds and three blocks, and Ben Humrichous chipped in nine points with three 3-pointers.
Shooting 52% from the field and controlling the tempo throughout, Illinois improved to 9-3 and extended its winning streak in the rivalry to three straight games. The Illini return home Dec. 29 to host Southern at State Farm Center in their final nonconference game.
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