Months after some Israelis started to protest against aid lorries entering Gaza at the main Kerem Shalom crossing, the battle has moved to other key junctions, where rival groups of activists do their best to block or protect aid convoys.

Right-wing activists, including Jewish settlers living in the occupied West Bank, have uploaded dozens of videos of crowds, including some very young children, hurling food onto the ground and stamping on boxes of aid.

In one video, a group of jubilant protesters dance and celebrate on top of a looted lorry.

In another, one of the stranded lorries is ablaze.

In the West Bank, at least two drivers who were not carrying goods bound for Gaza were dragged from their cabs and beaten.

Other videos show Israeli vigilantes stopping lorries in Jerusalem and demanding that drivers show papers proving they are not transporting aid to Gaza. Their faces are uncovered and they appear to be acting with complete impunity.

  • nickwitha_k (he/him)@lemmy.sdf.org
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    5 months ago

    But I also don’t see a way forward for the state of Israel without the destruction of Hamas, because otherwise we will just repeat this in a few years, and I don’t think Hamas will stop attacking us even if we are sanctioned by most of the world (I also fear that in such a scenario, a government might rise to power in Israel which is much more extreme than even now).

    The only real solution that doesn’t involve genocide is ensuring that Palestinians are happy, healthy, and have the opportunity to thrive. Terrorist groups like Hamas don’t just poof into existence. It takes a mix of desperation, grief, and hopelessness (and sometimes megalomania) to reach that point. Groups like that can’t be defeated or destroyed with bombs and missiles. Inflicting more pain and suffering creates more desperate, hopeless people who don’t feel like they have anything to live for or chance at living a good life. If the IDF kills every member of Hamas in this war, another group will rise because of all of the mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends, and family that have lost their lives as “collateral damage”.

    If you want to halt Hamas and similar groups, your government needs to stop doing the recruiting efforts for them. Hell, with time, effort, and prosecuting those who perpetuate the violence, the Palestinian people could be allies.

    • dsemy@lemm.ee
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      5 months ago

      I agree with you, but the issue is groups like Hamas don’t just poof out of existence either; and Hamas has shown they can’t be trusted to act in good faith (before Hamas’ surprise attack, there was actually a fairly long period where it seemed in Israel that Hamas’ is appeased by various benefits given to Hamas and Gazans, like giving some permission to work in Israel, and allowing money from Qatar to enter the strip. Israeli defense in turn moved troops away from Gaza and lowered the combat readiness of the surrounding areas, which led to the disaster on the 7th of October).

      And unfortunately, I don’t see Hamas allowing a more reasonable group to from in Gaza while they’re still in power.

      Hell, with time, effort, and prosecuting those who perpetuate the violence, the Palestinian people could be allies.

      I hope I’ll be alive to see this