An attempt to change the demographic and political map of Gaza
Palestinians view the Israeli ground offensive in Gaza and reoccupation of much of its territorial landscape as a form of collective punishment and an attempt to change the demographic and political map of Gaza.
Many Palestinians understand that Israel is prioritising territorial control over any political solution, and many shared their own fear and panic regarding the possibility of not being able to return to their homes.
They also believe that Israel is trying not to just dismantle the military capabilities of Hamas, as the Israeli military spokesperson and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have stated, but they are trying also to empty Gaza from its residents and to suffocate civilians.
Israel will do this by adopting humanitarian and military tactics, including an expanded ground offensive, alongside tightening its grip on the flow of aid supplies to Gaza.
But there was a general and clear sentiment of defiance for many Palestinians. Social media is filled with messages of resilience and people saying that they will not leave Gaza, whatever the cost will be.
‘We cannot go on killing each other’
Israeli peace activist and Parents’ Circle Families Forum spokesperson Robi Damelin has told Al Jazeera that thousands of people are planning to gather in Jerusalem this week to call for peace.
The Parents Circle Families Forum is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organisation of over 800 families who’ve all lost an immediate family member to the ongoing conflict.
Damelin says the peace summit in Jerusalem this week is being organised by Maoz Inon, whose parents were burned to death on October 7.
“This is really I think the darkest time for Israel and Palestine”, she said. “We cannot go on killing each other”.
While she said the work of the families forum has become more difficult since October 7, its members “don’t give up”.
“It’s important to hear from people on the ground that are working to make change,” she said.
‘Optics’ of Trump visit to region ‘very bad’ as Israel’s war on Gaza rages: Report
Commenting on Trump’s planned three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates next week, an Arab official told the Axios news site that the trip “looks very bad” with no ceasefire in Gaza.
While Trump is expected to focus on bilateral issues and investment during this visit from May 13 to 15, the unnamed Arab official said the US president had a “big splash” about reaching a ceasefire in Gaza before his inauguration.
“But three months later, the situation in Gaza is worse,” the official told Axios.
A US official in the same report explained why Trump – Israel’s staunchest ally in its war on Gaza – was avoiding a stop in Israel during his regional visit: “Nothing good can come out of a visit to Israel at the moment.”
Israel has announced the mobilisation of 70,000 reservists as part of a new military offensive against Gaza – codenamed “Gideon’s Chariots” – which will forcibly displace more than 2 million people to the southern part of the enclave.
Israeli ground forces will enter the Strip in large numbers and occupy parts of the territory where they will “flatten all buildings”, Axios reports. “The tactic will be massive destruction,” the news site said.
