What about all the other Alan Johnstons?

BBC journalist, Alan Johnston is free from his 114 days of cruel captivity in Gaza and like the rest of the world, I rejoice in his long awaited release. However, in our shared euphoria, let's not forget there are still nearly 6 million stateless Palestinian men and women who, like A;an Johnston, are forced to live in equally cruel captivity. They are chained to poverty in refugee camps in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt or imprisoned behind the impenetrable walls of Gaza or the West bank.

Though some limited EU funding has now been released, Gaza's economic viability is still crippled by these viscous sanctions, their farm lands are denied adequate water for irrigation and their access to domestic sewage treatment is restricted to less than 80% of their need। Their only external border, at Rafah, is still closed for days, sometimes weeks on end, even to those requiring medical treatment in Egypt or returning to burry their dead in Gaza।

These are civilians entrapped in a humanitarian crisis of gigantic proportions, no one denies this, least of all Alan who risked his freedom and committed his life to reporting it. Yet the world watches and the world says nothing.

Alan Johnston was lucky. He not only got out of captivity, he got out of Gaza. Something those who are forced to live there can only dream of.