Vulnerability is an intrinsic characteristic of the human condition. However, in certain contexts, this fragility is exacerbated to intolerable limits. One of the most heartbreaking examples of this reality is the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza, where systematic violence not only attacks lives but robs survivors of any physical, emotional and moral protection.
The conflict in Gaza has turned the population into a paradigm of extreme vulnerability. Children, in particular, are the main victims of this devastation: they suffer from the loss of their families, the destruction of their homes and the amputation of their own bodies, as well as bearing a psychological trauma that will mark generations. The brutality with which they are treated is an affront to any notion of justice and humanity.
In this context, indifference or, worse still, the celebration of the suffering of others, reflects a serious moral failure that questions the very essence of our humanity. History has shown that crimes against the most vulnerable define the level of civilization of a society. What is happening in Gaza is therefore not only a reflection of the political crisis in the region, but also a symptom of a global moral crisis.
The appropriate ethical response to such a tragedy is empathy. Beyond being a passing feeling, empathy is a virtue that strengthens social bonds and allows us to recognize in the other his inalienable dignity. Without it, societies decay into a dangerous indifference or, in the worst case, an insensitive justification of violence. The ethics of vulnerability calls for active responsibility: it is not enough to observe; we must commit ourselves to the suffering of others and act accordingly. It is imperative that the international community set aside political and economic interests to focus on victim protection.
Empathy can manifest itself in many ways. There is a weak empathy, which allows us to recognize the suffering of others from an abstract and distant perspective. Yet what horror in Gaza requires of us is strong empathy, one that forces us to put ourselves in the victims’ shoes and feel their pain as our own. This is the real moral test: our ability to respond with compassion and action to extreme injustice. Whoever ignores this call becomes an accomplice to one of the worst tragedies of our time. Omission is not neutrality, it is a position in favor of the oppressor. It is therefore crucial that the citizens of the world raise their voices and demand an immediate and effective response from their governments.
The contrast between empathy and its opposite, schadenfreude (pleasure in the face of pain from others), is fundamental to assessing the moral character of a society. Those who justify or celebrate the massacre in Gaza demonstrate not only a lack of compassion, but a penchant for evil. It is not a simple difference of political opinion, but an ethical distortion that normalizes extermination and dehumanizes the victims. To stop being horrified by injustice is the first step toward a dangerous insensitivity. The normalization of barbarism is the result of a lack of empathy and forgetting the basic principles of coexistence and mutual respect.
The virtue of empathy is not only an individual moral imperative, but a foundation for building fairer societies. Public policies should be based on the recognition of human vulnerability and the promotion of protection and care mechanisms. In this sense, the international community’s indifference to Palestinian suffering is not only an omission but a betrayal of the most basic principles of justice and humanity. A paradigm shift in global politics is needed: the defence of human rights must be at the centre of any international action, beyond strategic or economic interests.
Gaza is not just a geopolitical conflict; it is a mirror that reflects the best and worst of our nature. It challenges us to choose between indifference and solidarity, between insensitivity and compassion, between the justification of violence and the unwavering defence of human dignity. Empathy, ultimately, is not just a virtue: it is the very foundation of our humanity.
