War and death aren’t new visitors to human civilizations. They’ve been here for longer than you and I have.
But with the death toll in Gaza striking a grim milestone, with over 10,000 lost lives of the innocent, it becomes increasingly difficult to remain silent and just watch.
This tribulation has awakened the voices of Generation Z. A tribe of young and powerful agents who advocate for change and the inherent goodness of people.
Although many of us have had our faith in humanity forsaken, Gen Zs are not giving up. They aim to use the weapons that they are most influential with—digital technology, empathy, their gifted imagination, and motivational command to raise awareness and foster peace amid the inharmonious circumstances occuring right now in the world.
Social media as a beacon of awareness
Gen Z boasts of their digital activism, and lately, it has been used for a good cause. Growing up with the internet on one hand and social media on the other, this generation knows their way around popular platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, and is being used as the lens through which they view global issues, such as the Israel-Gaza conflict.
These digital realms have been taken advantage of in creating a catalyst for change and encouraging fruitful conversations that have the potential to limit bias and one-sided judgments while promoting the notion that the only side that mankind must be on is humanity.
An array of viral hashtags have been circulating the internet such as #Israelunderfire, #Gazaunderattack, #PrayforPalestine, and #SupportIsrael among many others that have been used to bring the conflict to the global limelight. Gen Zs have sparked global attention towards this long-lived dispute, nudging us toward the fact that this is a matter that requires everyone’s concern.
The scuffle between the contending sides
A poll carried out states that this generation is harder to convince about Israel’s policy towards Palestine, if and unless they are provided with valid images and information to make up for it in comparison to older Americans. Plus, even though Gen Zs fall under one cohort, a vast number of assorted opinions have taken center stage, and neither of these sides has decided to break free from old patterns.
There’s the group of Gen Z supporters who justify the actions of Hama’s due to the many years of Israeli oppression and the others that label pro-Palestinian protestants as defenders of terrorism.
We also find a massive number of others who grieve for innocent lives that are captured in a battle royal between both opposing factions, due to faulty leadership. It has become a struggle even for activists to voice out their points of view online and in person about a conflict that has gone against peaceful settlements for decades.
Human stories, not political debates
Nevertheless, to opt for peace and fair play, especially for the staggering number of individuals and children who did nothing to deserve this horrific infliction, a great deal of Gen Zs have chosen to take the initiative to promote human stories of hardship over political debacles.
Gen Zs are putting forward a very human approach to the Israel-Gaza conflict, by prioritizing the personal sphere of the war, and its tremendous atrocities faced by blameless civilians.
Stories of women and children and the suffering they endure, personal narratives, and testimonials of what individuals who are affected by the violence on both sides experience daily, have been highlighted and shared across many social media platforms, in the hopes of reviving compassion and humanity among the nations.
In taking this approach, bridges have been built between contradicting opinions, thereby fostering meaningful conversations in order to bring about the change the world needs ever so badly.
Creative expressions as a path to peace
Human creativity in the form of art, music, and speech has the ability to strike a chord in the hearts of people and open up gateways of understanding and compassion.
Artistic expression can foster empathy and break down stereotypes that work around war, violence, and hatred, in doing so it presents a lens through which people from differing backgrounds and ideologies can look into the lives and stories of the oppressed, encouraging them to see things beyond just at the surface level.
Talented Gen Z artists have conveyed their feelings, emotions, and thoughts about the conflict through artwork, songs, and heartfelt narratives, where they map out themes of suffering, hope, resilience, and unity encouraging viewers and listeners to take a glimpse into the heavy burden born by the innocent.
Through the use of art as a universal language, Gen Z hopes to urge people to acknowledge the shared humanity that brings kinship and union, raising the chances for mutual respect and coexistence among adversaries.
Engaging in difficult online conversations and advocating for fundraising
The Israel- Palestine conflict evokes a host of emotions and differences of perspectives for several people. The clash of opinions can be a huge mess as it brings about chaos and disharmony if approached carelessly or with bias.
This is why Gen Zs are rooting for organized and steady-paced conversations and debates on social media regarding the crisis. The internet enables people of different beliefs and judgments to widen their understanding by employing purposeful conversations, where you position yourself as a learner, not an expert on the preceding events.
Gen Zs are extending their helping hand through fundraising and advocacy. Young activists and influencers are creating campaigns and fundraisers to contribute to humanitarian aid and charities working on the ground.
Making donations using crowdfunding platforms like PayPal, GoFundMe, and Patreon to help organizations by sharing donation links to encourage like-minded individuals to contribute to delivering support and relief for people in need.
This is a demonstration of the dedication and effort that Gen Zs are investing in to make a significant impact. By engaging in online activities, they manifest their allegiance to peace and civil liberties.
A global community united for peace
Establishing peace amid the corrupt systems of this broken world is a lengthy procedure that may take as long as it has taken for us to understand that violence and destruction over innocent lives is never the answer to political issues.
Gen Z has recognized this and is striving to lead a future where children and harmless innocents don’t have to take on the sins of governments and the shortcomings of past leaders. Gen Z’s determination and resilience exerted on international organizations and global leaders are what may bring about a genuine change for the citizens of these two nations.
This generation is a bold, angry, and fearless one, that isn’t going to stop fighting for an end to the horror and discord that this centuries-old war has permitted upon humanity. Coming together as one flesh and blood—the human race—let us all aspire to break the stigma that this unkind world never ceases to throw at us.