In this opening episode of “Voices from Gaza,” we are confronted with an unflinching portrayal of the genocide currently engulfing Gaza, perpetrated by the Israeli occupation. The horrors of genocide by Israel are made visceral through powerful stories of survival, loss and defiance. As we listen to the voices of Palestinian women and girls, we are forced to reckon with the reality of genocide, as defined by the 1948 Genocide Convention, and how it manifests in everyday Palestine—while the world not only remains silent but, in many cases, actively complicit.

“This is a genocide, an attempt to erase Palestine from the world map, and to completely erase the Palestinian people.”

The 1948 Genocide Convention defines “genocide” as “acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group”. These acts include killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s physical destruction. “Voices from Gaza” links each of these acts to the daily experiences of the people in Gaza, through a series of testimonies that paint a devastating picture of the genocidal violence that has taken hold of Palestine since 7 October 2023 and long before that. 

The episode features powerful testimonies that bring the Palestine genocide to life. Alaa, a mother who nearly lost her entire family in a single airstrike, recalls the moment she found her seven-year-old daughter Ghina’s name on a hospital shroud: “Her face was beautiful, but the back of her head was gone.” This haunting image is one of many, acting as a proof and a reminder of Israel’s indiscriminate killings that form the cornerstone of its genocide in Gaza, echoing the first condition outlined in the Convention: killing members of the group.

The second condition of the Genocide Convention —causing serious bodily or mental harm—is brought to life by Nesreen’s harrowing account of phosphorus burns, which continue to ravage her body from within, exposing the severe physical torment many Palestinians face. Her daughters, too, carry the scars of this violent assault. These injuries are not just wounds to heal; they are lasting marks of war crimes, inflicting unbearable suffering on individuals and entire communities.

“Voices from Gaza” delves even deeper, uncovering the emotional and psychological devastation that haunts every Palestinian. Alaa’s three-year-old daughter, Habiba, has already been scarred by unimaginable loss. “She wakes up in the middle of the night crying, ‘I want Osama! I want Osama!’ She cries from the depth of her heart,” Alaa recounts, sharing the unbearable grief her daughter feels after losing her brother.

Another revealing aspect of this episode is how it highlights the third condition of genocide: deliberately inflicting conditions of life intended to destroy the group. In Gaza, this is playing out through a total blockade that has cut off access to food, water, electricity and medical supplies for decades. Alaa’s story offers a window into the desperation this siege has created. “I can’t provide anything for [Habiba],” she says. “She has been sick for a week, and I barely managed to find money for her medicine.”

It is important to acknowledge that today’s horrors are a continuation of the same brutal policies of dispossession and dehumanisation that began over 75 years ago, now manifesting in even more destructive and deadly forms. Aisha, 85, offers a powerful testimony that connects the current atrocities to the Nakba of 1948, when Palestinians were first expelled from their homes, stripped of their land, and subjected to systematic violence under Israeli occupation. “We have been struggling since 1948 until today,” Aisha says. “We were forced to leave, abandoning our livestock and belongings. Our keys are still with us.” Her words make it clear that this genocide did not begin in 2023—it has been decades in the making, rooted in continuous oppression and the enduring denial of Palestinian inalienable rights.

The Unyielding Resilience of Palestinian Women

While the legal framework of genocide speaks to the atrocities being committed, “Voices from Gaza” also offers a powerful counter-narrative: the resilience of Palestinian women. Despite the horrors they face, the women in this episode refuse to let go of their will to live, educate and fight for a future for their children.

Alaa, whose story of unimaginable loss fills much of the episode, still holds onto hope. “What I wish for most is a secure future for this girl,” she says, referring to her daughter Habiba. This resilience is echoed across the episode by other inspirational Palestinian women who, despite losing their homes, families and any semblance of safety, continue to organise in refugee camps, teach their children and hold onto the hope that they will one day return to their homes.

The resilience of these women is not just a testament to their strength but a reminder to the world that we need to listen and amplify the voices of those who are most affected by conflict. 

A Call to Confront the Truth

The voices in this episode do more than recount their pain—they demand action. They demand that the international community recognise what is happening for what it is: genocide.

This episode serves as both a record and a call to action. Throughout the episode, “Voices from Gaza” makes a powerful case for exposing the contradictions between global political rhetoric and the lived experiences of Gazans. Israeli officials and their allies repeatedly claim that civilians are not targets, with statements like “Our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza.” Yet, the testimonies from Palestinian mothers like Alaa and Asmaa, who have almost lost their entire families, make it painfully clear that this distinction is non-existent on ground. As Alaa notes, “They [Isreaelis] measure their victories in the war by the number of civilians they kill.” She describes how her son Ahmed was killed, along with eight other family members, during a bombing in December 2023. “My mother, my three young brothers, my brother’s wife, my brother’s children, and my son Ahmed were all killed … Nothing is left.” 

Even more damning is the international community’s failure to act. The episode calls out the silence—or worse, the complicity—of powerful nations. Despite the ruling from the International Court of Justice in January 2024 acknowledging Israel’s genocidal actions, countries like the United States, The United Kingdom and Germany continue to offer their political and military support. The podcast doesn’t shy away from these uncomfortable truths, in an attempt to hold the world accountable for the ongoing violence.

Listen Now: Hear the Voices, Bear Witness, and Take Action

We invite you to listen to this powerful episode of “Voices from Gaza.” Hear the voices of those living through genocide, and let their stories compel you to act. The women of Gaza are not just survivors; they are leaders and symbols of resilience, and their voices deserve to be heard. The episode is available now—tune in, share, and bear witness to the truth.