Actual Hunger Game

    Gaza, a place echoing the reality of "The Hunger Games"—not as a dystopian fantasy but as a lived experience for its people.

    In Suzanne Collins' novel The Hunger Games, describes fight in a manufactured arena, controlled and starved by privileged people. While meant as fiction, this resembles the struggle in Gaza, where survival is a daily contest, and the combat is shaped by forces far beyond the control of those who call it home.

Life in Gaza is a struggle, as essential resources such as fuel are scarce. Photo by Samar Abu Elouf/The New York Times.

     The war in Gaza is not for show, there are no cameras broadcasting to entertain the public, but the elements of control, the fight for basic necessities, and the sense of being trapped in a larger game are real.

    The New York Times paints a picture of life in Gaza that is miserable and harrowing. It's a narrative of sharp-witted people, who, despite the turmoil, continue to live with resilience and resourcefulness. But this resilience is tested time and again by the flames of conflict, stoked by those who view the region as a strategic square on their geopolitical chessboard, igniting fires in their neighbors' yards without a thought for the lives that burn in the process.

    As I reflect on this, I can't help but draw parallels to the plot of "The Hunger Games." The districts, oppressed and kept in line through fear and deprivation, are not unlike the reality for those living in Gaza. And just like in the film, I believe the game should end. Not through the victory of one but through the collective realization that human life is too precious to be part of any game.

    We may not have the power to rewrite the history of human conflict, but we can shape its future. It begins with love, respect, and humility towards one another. It begins with recognizing our shared humanity and the futility of a game where there are no true winners, only shared loss.