“Human animals”?? by Mazin Qumsiyeh

I received 27 positive emails and four negative ones in regards to my last
email with an analysis of the situation here. I appreciate both. I also
received a dozen emails asking about our safety in the West Bank now
blockaded and we are kept in our separate holding pins like Bthlehem
Ghetto. I respectfully urge all to read that opinion to the end and think
deeply about root causes rather than get caught in the emotions of the
moment:
https://popular-resistance.blogspot.com/2023/10/al-aqsa-flood.html
To follow up I provide some more links below of other reactions including
from Jewish Voice for Peace. Please read with open minds and hearts.

A friend emailed me about a missing friend of hers likely captured by
Hamas. Another friend called me from Rafah to report that his cousin, her
husband, and their children were all killed when Israel bombed their
residential building. There was another bombing in which 17 members of one
family (Shayeb) were wiped out. A missile at a crowded market place killed
50.

The stories keep flowing. This latest sad escalation of violence has
already left 800 Israelis and 600 Palestinians dead SO FAR. These are not
numbers they are people. The past 24 hours saw Israeli planes intensify
their bombing of population centers. As in previous rounds of uptick in
violence, the number of Palestinains killed (mostly civilians) will be many
fold more than Israelis (and statements of wrath are too chilling).

There
will be a difference this time: Fuel, food, water, and medicine to the
entire population of Gaza was halted by the occupation army (previously
they were kept at a minimum to keep people alive but the economy
devastated). Thus, this time people will start dying from lack of food or
medicine. Gaza hospitals are running out of fuel to power their emergency
generators. No matter your opinion of Hamas or Islamic Jihad or of Israeli
apartheid system, civilians cannot be allowed to suffer like this.

Here is
the contact information of the person in the ministry of health if there is
anyone on this list who can help with the issue of hospitals: Dr. Marwan
Abu Sada, Director General, International Cooperation & Projects General
Directorate, Ministry of Health, Mobile (Jawwal): +972 59-997-7704 Mobile
(Ooredoo): +972 56-733-3308 Office: +972 8-282-6325 <icd@moh.gov.ps>

Israeli “Defense” Minister Yoav Gallant said bluntly: “I ordered a full
siege on the Gaza Strip. No power, no food, no gas, everything is closed.
We are fighting HUMAN ANIMALS and we act accordingly.” [When we hear such
language, does it remind us of previous episodes in history. Warsaw ghetto
uprsiing? Siox wars? Already the colonizer army is bombing many residential
buildings, killed >50 shoppers in a market, and over 80 Palestinian
children killed so far. It is as promised, the tip of the iceberg. Sadly
even the hostages/prisoners held by Hamas are impacted and Israeli bombing
in Gaza killed 4 Israeli captives plus their captors. Now Israel is also
using white phosphorous (chemical weapons) in residential areas and is
openly saying the war is against the entire population of Gaza].

For individual donations for medical needss in Gaza I recommend Medical Aid
for Palestine (a UK charity)
https://www.map.org.uk/news/archive/post/1521-map-launches-gaza-emergency-response-amid-rapidly-escalating-violence

Palestinian Organizations Call for Immediate Action from the International
Community to Stop Israel’s Reprisals against Palestinian Civilians
https://pchrgaza.org/en/palestinian-organizations-call-for-immediate-action-from-the-international-community-to-stop-israels-reprisals-against-palestinian-civilians/

From Breaking the Silence (Israeli ex-soldiers who speak out): “Hamas’s
attack and the events unfolding since yesterday are unspeakable. We could
talk about their cruel and criminal actions, or focus on how our
Jewish-supremacist govt brought us to this point. But as former Israeli
soldiers, our job is to talk about what we were sent to do”

Jewish Voice for Peace statement : The root of violence is oppression
https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/2023/10/statement23-10-07

Chris Hedges statement
https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/palestinians-speak-the-language-of

I reiterate something I said before: if people really want to end the
threat of such groups as Hamas and Islamic Jihad (or for that matter right
wing nutcases like Gallant, Netanyahu, Smotrich, and Ben Gvir), the ONLY
way is to have human rights, equality and justice including the rights of
refugees to return to their homes and lands. Jews, Muslims, Christians and
others must live in one democratic free society. That is the only win-win
scenario. All other options are lose-lose and have proven so over the past
75 years. Palestinians are not children of a lesser God.

Stay human (especially when it is hard to do)