Earthquake victims in Afghanistan eclipsed by ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict

New Delhi: As the world's attention remains fixed on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, the earthquake victims in Afghanistan find themselves facing a challenging situation, overshadowed by the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Several countries have expressed concern for the earthquake's impact on Afghanistan but there is yet to be some major and expert aid support for the victims.

Three agonizing days have passed since a devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake rocked Herat province, leaving behind a trail of destruction, death, and an unsettling uncertainty for those still trapped under the rubble.

In a world consumed by the Israel-Palestine conflict, the plight of these earthquake survivors has been relegated to the shadows, with limited assistance and expertise making its way to the affected areas where hope for life persists.

The epicentre of the earthquake was Zindajan district in Herat, and the aftermath is haunting. Local media footage paints a bleak picture - nearly every house in the affected villages reduced to piles of debris.

Reports from residents are heart-wrenching, as they describe the anguish of knowing that many of their neighbours and loved ones remain buried under the wreckage, their voices silenced by the weight of their dire predicament.

The available resources for rescue operations in Afghanistan are stretched thin, and time is running out.

One local resident said to the local media, "I pray to God that we find people alive, for they will die of starvation and thirst if they cannot breathe." With an estimated 1,700 people residing in the area, only a fraction—between 300 to 400—have been rescued, leaving the rest in a harrowing limbo of uncertainty.

Survivors are enduring freezing nights under makeshift tents in open spaces, their lives forever altered by a tragedy that has left them bereaved, injured, and homeless. The death toll continues to rise, reaching 2400, with thousands of others suffering from injuries.

Although several countries have expressed solidarity with Afghanistan's earthquake victims, immediate relief and foreign disaster experts have yet to reach the affected area. As the world's attention remains diverted by the Israel-Palestine crisis, the people of Herat in Afghanistan wait for a glimmer of hope to emerge from beneath the rubble.

Interim Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, offers a heartfelt invitation to any country willing to lend a hand to these victims in their hour of need.

The Taliban government stands ready to welcome assistance from across the globe to alleviate the suffering of those who have endured unimaginable loss and hardship.

While the world's attention may wax and wane, Afghan civilian victims’ desperate cries for aid echo the unwavering need for solidarity and assistance in times of dire need.

As nations grapple with their own conflicts, the international community must not forget the quiet human voices buried under the rubble in Herat, for their survival depends on the collective compassion and action of us all.