Does Gaza produce anything for export or is it totally dependent on foreign aid? The import all of their food, medical and construction supplies, and fuel.The average woman still has four children and everyone expects to have housing, education and health care. I'm confused. I believe crimes were committed against them but still, how long can they expect to be supported by the outside world? What is their end game? What is their aspiration?
7
Even with evidence that Hamas rules the Gaza Strip with an iron fist and stops anyone who opposes them, much of the world will still turn a blind eye to them. Most the members of the UN will either ignore all of this or just blame Israel for this. Hearing about what just went on the Gaza Strip is the true nature of Hamas. Then again, it's most likely they won't be sanctioned at all by the UN or any of its organization for such actions because of the support they have there. Let's not forget that elections in the Palestinian territories are very rare which is why they still have the same members in their autonomy despite the fact that the Israel has seen both PMs and Knesset members come and go from time to time with constant elections. Of course, those such as myself aren't surprised by this and know that this is the true nature of Hamas.
18
I don't know what more there is to do than hope, and while an individual's hope is worth very little, collectively it's important to share as an affirmation that Palestinian lives matter and that all people deserve to live free of oppression and violence. I hope one day the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip are free of Hamas as well as free from IDF bombs and the hardships of occupation.
4
The story of Hamas human rights abuses, perpetrated on the Palestinians, is mostly ignored and under reported by journalists, media and those who claim to be Palestinian advocates.
Why?
Yesterday, there was an unprovoked attack on Israel from from Gaza, when long range rockets destroyed a Tel Aviv home, causing serious injury to a family including 2 infants.
Why?
Authoritarian Hamas is deflecting from its violence against Gazans and knows that Israel will defend her people.
Hamas also knows that media will feast on the retaliation photo op bait.
Hamas, yet again, putting Palestinian lives at risk.
Why?
27
The crackdown was almost certainly instigated by the Israelis.
Hamas loves demonstrations as long as they favor Hamas.
3
@Dr. Sam Rosenblum
What are you talking about? How was it instigated by Israel?
16
The innocence of the Palestinians is unfortunately exploited by the policies of Hamas, Israel and the United States. When the worlds only super power takes a side the side it takes becomes the oppressor. The average Palestinian is not unlike the average Iranian - punished without being convicted of a crime. Hamas is merely taking advantage of a situation. They as a group will never attain justice for the people so burdened by their policies.
6
Substitute “Israel” for “Hamas” in this article’s headline, and there would be 3,000 comments. But now, crickets.
Bret Stephens is right. Palestinian lives don’t matter... unless Israel is to blame.
78
Indeed, why the silence? Where is the outrage at such corrupt governance and human rights violations? Until there is an honest evaluation of the Israeli Palestinian crisis by those who purport to advocate on behalf of equal rights, sadly there will be no progress and no peace.
21
@them that's not true, of course they matter. Rather than casting stones for stories quietly told, try believing in the good of people and speaking truth to power without resentment. You might be surprised how powerful that can be.
3
They knew when they elected Hamas in 2006 over Fatah that they were electing a terrorist group according to the EU, US, as well as Israel.
To elect a terrorist group to lead them after 9/11 where we lost thousands from terrorism was a huge slap in the face to the US and EU, and others.
After the 2006 election, Hamas and Fatah had a Palestinian Civil War with many deaths.
Hamas has used concrete and money to build tunnels into Israel (at a cost of $3 million a tunnel). They have been shooting missiles into Israel.
As a result 3 different Gaza-Israel wars have ensued with many deaths.
At some point the US, EU, and Arab nations have to tell the Palestinians in Gaza, "Enough is enough." Until you have elections, there is no help. You are off our radar.
They elected terrorists to lead them. Let them solve their own problems.
Also, it is obvious that the newly elected anti-Semites in Congress don't care at all about these people, otherwise they'd call for new elections.
25
On Sunday March 17, Reuters reported that Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. special coordinator for Middle East peace, said in a statement that “the long-suffering people Gaza” have a right to protest at “the dire economic situation” without fear of reprisal. “I strongly condemn the campaign of arrests and violence used by Hamas security forces against protesters, including women and children, in Gaza over the past three days,” he said.
Bret Stephens wrote a column on March 21, which pointed out that news of the violent suppression by Hamas of the protests in Gaza was not being covered in the mainstream media.
I presume that Isabel Kershner and Iyad Abuheweila have know about the Hamas crackdown for over a week. (The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer wrote about the protests on March 16.) I wonder why Mr. Abuheweila and Ms. Kershner have been silent on their twitter accounts and in print until now?
There are many who continue to remain silent including Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ocasio-Cortes, Linda Sarsour, Jewish Voice for Peace, Jeremy Corbyn, Code Pink, ect.
Maybe, as Bret Stephens put it, "Palestinian lives don't matter unless Israel is to blame."
32
Where's the outrage from Reps Tlaib, Omar, and Ocasio-Cortes about Palestinian rights? If they only cry out when they think that Israel or Aipac is to blame, and not when Hamas is the clear perpetrator, then they are anti Semitic.
41
And these are Jeremy Corbyn's "friends" ....
29
No condemnation yet on AOC’s twitter feed. Nothing from Omar or Tlaib. Bernie still silent on “disproportionate response”. And Hamas didn’t even have to shell out any Benjamins.
63
“We did not march to overthrow Hamas,” Mr. Abed, the organizer from Jabaliya, who is now on the run, said in a telephone interview, “but only demanded of those ruling us to ease the burdens of daily life.”
What a profound and tragic disconnect. My only hope is that while Mr. Abed doesn't realize he is doing so yet, he and others in Gaza continue to protest Hamas. Over on the left, we like to point out the right wing Israeli government's counterproductivity in towards peace in the region, and rightly so, but we cannot, in that criticism, neglect to loudly criticize inhumane treatment inflicted by anyone, whether we see them as victims in any other sense or not.
Best of luck to the protesters in Gaza, who represent a people who seemingly have no governments in the world looking out for their best interest.
31
No surprise. Hamas has not been interested in helping its own people from the moment it rose to power. It is a terrorist organization running a totalitarian regime. All resources are diverted to two causes, 1) lining the pockets of the party elite and 2) militarization. When Israel evacuated from Gaza it handed over 3,000 greenhouses to use for the cultivation of agriculture. What did Hamas do? It destroyed the greenhouses, threw political opponents off roofs, and viciously asserted its presence. Instead of focusing on food, health, and education, Hamas invests in developing the tools of oppression and spreading propaganda intended to rally the people against Israel, rather than their true enemy, Hamas. When the Palestinians in Gaza manage to rid themselves of Hamas and focus on genuine self-development, they will find their greatest ally and partner in Israel.
66
@Adam The greenhouses were a sick tragedy. The Isreaeli company Sodastream wanted to set up production in Gaza. This was going to provide jobs and careers to people there. Hamas destroyed the industrial park being built. Hamas called working for Israel "slavery". Then the these Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions people--another Hamas front intent on blackmailing Israel--made so much noise about Sodastream setting up a factory in the west bank that Sodastream had to close it, and 500 jobs for west bank Palestinians were lost. This is Hamas, people.
41
One way to take the pressure of their internal problems is for Hamas to fire a rocket (no "mistake" this time, that will not work), 120 kms into Israel to score a direct hit on a house in a moshav in the Sharon, sending 7 people, including infants, to the hospital.
This way when Israel retaliates, which obviously will happen, Hamas to deflect to blame Israel, as probably the rest of the world will, using the "disproportionate" retaliation argument.
Life is cheap in Hamas-ruled Gaza when the lives of the residents are no more than pawns in their terror power play.
47
Unbelievable. We who live in such comfort and prosperity in the West are shocked and benumbed that this situation continues day after day, month after month, year after year. It is inhumane. Why,in the year 2019 is it not possible to resolve this tragic situation and provide a path for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for these poor people?
10
You mean the persons attacked by missiles I presume, not those firing them.
16
@AL I believe he's referring to the protesters right now, who neither launched missiles or were attacked by them, but who are treated inhumanely by Hamas while simultaneously taking blame for Hamas's activity by people who want to view the region as a black & white cookie.
10