This Is a Slap in the Face, and a Knife in the Heart

This Is a Slap in the Face, and a Knife in the Heart

Since Oct 7, 2023, I’ve watched lives torn apart in real time- sometimes all at once- sometimes day by day. Every hour, every image, every name, every scream has stayed with me.

And through it all, the only glimmer of real solidarity- of resistance- has come from Yemen. They stood when others bowed. They acted when others stayed silent. And now I find out that the recent assassinations of resistance leaders in Yemen were carried out with information provided by volunteers with USAID- a “humanitarian” organization.

That’s not just hypocrisy. That’s betrayal. That’s a knife in my heart as a humanitarian, an activist, a person who believes in the right of all people to live freely- without occupation, without oppression.

Let’s talk about Palestine- about Gaza- where humanitarian organizations made big promises and delivered next to nothing. More knives. These organizations were supposed to be with us.

Now- the aid is not enough. The world support is not enough. And the betrayal is too much.

Worse still, some of this aid is being delivered by people acting as enemies. The same hands pretending to give life are the ones that tighten the noose. How do you come back from that?

If you call yourself a humanitarian, an activist, part of the resistance- then remember this: we don’t get to compromise our morals. We don’t get to lose the mission. There is an informational war raging around us, every minute of every day. Be careful. Be critical. Because one day you may wake up and realize you’ve been turned against the very people you were meant to stand with.

So if you claim to stand with the oppressed- if you volunteer, if you send aid, if you call yourself an ally- then act like one. Be smart. Be safe. Be principled.

Here’s what that means in real terms:

1. 
   Don’t communicate about locations. Not in messages. Not in posts. Not in photos. Not even in private chats. One slip can kill people. Never discuss where someone is, where they’re going, or where aid is being delivered.
2. 
   Don’t send or share personal data. No names. No phone numbers. No addresses. No ID photos. No credit‑card screenshots. No passports. No exceptions. Not your own, not anyone else’s. Even if someone asks you for it- especially then.
3. 
   Be careful who you talk to. Be careful what you believe. There are people pretending to care, pretending to help, pretending to be on your side. Some are just misinformed. Some are malicious. Learn to tell the difference. Use media literacy. Question sources. Cross‑check facts. Trust your gut.
4. 
   Use encrypted apps. Telegram. Signal. ProtonMail. Anything end‑to‑end. Assume every message you send is a risk, regardless of app. Because it is.
5. 
   Ask why you’re being asked. If someone’s asking you to give more than you’re comfortable with, or to do something that feels off, stop and ask: why? Who benefits from this? What harm could come from this if I’m wrong?
6. 
   Don’t make it about you. This isn’t a performance. Don’t center your identity or your guilt or your outrage. Center the people. The ones with everything to lose. We are here to protect, not posture.
7. 
   Respect the resistance. If you don’t understand what someone’s doing, that doesn’t mean they’re wrong. That means you need to listen harder. Learn more. It is not your job to lecture the occupied on how to survive occupation.

We showed up because we saw Gaza on her knees.
And we were meant to be a hand up. A shield. A voice.
So don’t you dare look over to Yemen- who’s had her hand out this entire time- and ask, “Where have you been?”
When all we’ve done is betray, sabotage, and complicate the only party right now standing up for Palestine without apology.

If you’re here, then be here right. With discipline. With humility. With unwavering care.
Because this isn’t a game. People die when we get it wrong.

AmyraCull • Libr8