The opening of the crossing at Kerem Shalom is to allow the entry into Gaza of aid, because Israel has agreed to the entry of 200 trucks a day, while the Rifah crossing could only handle half that much. Therefore, while Israel is allowing aid into Gaza, a tacit admission that aid is needed, it is still holding back from ceasing the aerial bombardment and ground invasion that has made that aid necessary. While it is allowing aid to enter Gaza, it is refusing the sort of humanitarian ceasefire being demanded, on the rather thin grounds that what was done on October 7 against Israel by Hamas would be ‘rewarded’ by a ceasefire. It is worth noting that Israel has had no compunction slaughtering those Gazan Palestinians who clearly have no association with Hamas fighters, because they are women or children.
Much of the problem is caused because Israel itself seems to be confused about what its forces are doing in Gaza. Are they trying to kill all Gazans? Already, they have killed at last 17,000 out of a population of 600,000, which is about three percent. Already, there are voices being raised all over the world against the slaughter, so genocide would not be feasible, because voices would continue on their present spiral. Are the Israelis attempting to prepare the Gazans to vacate their land? There is the problem that there does not seem to be any country willing to take them in. Is this a sort of collective punishment? The idea of collective punishment also has arisen, especially the cutting off of water, gas, electricity and food supplies. However, the idea behind such collective punishment is not clear: is it meant to deter such actions as those of Hamas on November 9, or is it meant to avenge them? No matter how much they slaughter the Gazans, will Israelis ever feel the sort of security they did before November 9. It should not be forgotten that insurgencies never end well for the occupiers, especially, as at present, when the occupiers have begun losing support they Israel is losing it. Israel should also remember that revulsion at one illegality among the counties of the world, might make them withdraw support for other illegalities, the very creation of as state by grabbing someone else’ land.
