Free Rojgar

1. The Empty Chair: The Tragedy of Lost Lives

The most immediate problem is the permanent loss of life. Reports from the Iranian Red Crescent already indicate that over 780 people have been killed in the first few days of March alone.

• The Toll on Children: On February 28, a school in Minab was struck, claiming the lives of nearly 150 school children. These are not "strategic targets"; they are daughters and sons who will never come home.

• A Lifetime of Grief: For a mother in Tehran or a father in Tel Aviv, the "victory" promised by politicians cannot fill the empty chair at the dinner table. They are not grieving for a cause; they are grieving for a future that was stolen.

2. The Collapse of the Home and Community

A home is meant to be a sanctuary, but today, homes from Tehran to the Upper Galilee have become battlefields.

• Displacement: In Lebanon and Iran, hundreds of thousands are on the move. Families are fleeing with nothing but what they can carry, seeking safety in a region where "safe havens" are disappearing.

• The Blackout of Fear: With near-total internet disruptions in Iran (dropping to just 4% connectivity), families cannot even call their loved ones to ask, "Are you alive?" This silence is a psychological torture that politicians rarely discuss.

3. The Economic Stranglehold on Mothers and Fathers

War destroys the ability of a parent to provide.

• Skyrocketing Costs: With the Strait of Hormuz facing disruption and oil prices surging, the cost of basic food and medicine is becoming unreachable for the average family.

• The Destruction of Infrastructure: Strikes on communications centers and power grids mean that even if a family survives the bombs, they struggle to survive the night without light, water, or a way to earn a living.

4. The Burden of the "Second Phase"

As military leaders speak of a "second phase" of ground action, the burden falls heavier on civilians.

• Caregiving for the Wounded: With over 1,500 people injured across the region in just 96 hours, hospitals are overwhelmed. Families are forced to become makeshift nurses for relatives with life-altering injuries, often without basic medical supplies.

Conclusion: A Plea for the "Common Public"

The "common public" does not sign declarations of war. They do not sit at the tables where strikes are planned. Yet, they are the ones who pay the ultimate price.

True strength is not found in the ability to launch a missile; it is found in the courage to stop. We must demand an immediate cessation of hostilities because the cost of this war is too high, and it is being paid in the tears of innocent families.

"The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." — Douglas MacArthur