It has been more than a year since the IDF began to hammer Hamas in Gaza. It did so in response to the surprise attack on October 7, 2023, when 3,800 Hamas operatives, accompanied by 2,200 enthusiastic non-members, smashed into southern Israel and proceeded to rape, torture, mutilate, and murder 1,200 Israelis, and take 251 back to Gaza as hostages. The IDF has killed half of Hamas’ operatives, that pre-October 7 stood at 40,000 and are now down to 20,000. It has destroyed most of the 450-mile network of terror tunnels under Gaza where Hamas used to hide its men, weapons, and rocket launchers, and also to move them about undetected for so long. It has destroyed, too, more than 50% of the aboveground infrastructure. About 15,000 Gazan civilians have been killed and many more wounded.
The Gazans are getting tired of the endless airstrikes by the IDF on Hamas targets in civilian areas and in civilian buildings. They are tired of being constantly forced to move from one area about to be targeted, to a safe zone where the IDF will not be attacking. They are tired, too, of seeing Hamas operatives hijack the trucks bearing humanitarian aid — food and medicine — as soon as they enter Gaza, and then proceeding to steal much of that aid for themselves and their extended families, and then taking even more to sell to the Gazans who were supposed to be receiving that aid for free.
More on the exhaustion being felt by Gazan civilians can be found here: “War Fatigue Settles Among Palestinians,” by Ben Cohen, JNS.org, October 13, 2024:
One year after the Hamas atrocities in southern Israel ignited a multi-front war between the Jewish state and Iran’s regional proxies, a discernible trend is emerging among many Palestinians, especially those in Gaza. They are getting tired of the war.
War fatigue doesn’t mean that the Palestinians have suddenly developed an appetite for real peace—a peace, that is, in which Israel’s right to exist is welcomed, not contested, along with trade, educational and cultural agreements replacing boycotts, and a shared focus on regional security and regional development. The eliminationist ideology that resides at the heart of the Palestinian national movement, which expressed itself with astonishing brutality during the Oct. 7 pogrom in southern Israel, still prevails. But unlike the well-fed performative morons donning keffiyehs, banging drums and chanting antisemitic slogans in the streets and on the university campuses of Western cities, the Palestinians of Gaza have suffered immensely because of the actions of Hamas. Many of them are now asking whether it was all worth it.
Indeed, throughout this year, pockets of dissent have emerged among ordinary Palestinians fed up with Hamas thugs stealing humanitarian aid intended for their families, with some of them rightly accusing the terrorist organization of not giving a damn about their welfare, given that a punishing response from Israel was never in doubt in the wake of the massacre of 1,200 people. A report from the Reuters news agency last week quoted a Gazan mother named Samira wistfully remembering what her life was like before Oct. 7. “Despite all the hardships, our life was going well. We had jobs, houses and a city,” she said. Her dutiful description of Israel as “our prime enemy” didn’t prevent her from blaming Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the atrocity, for inviting the Israeli response. “What was he thinking? Didn’t he expect that Israel would destroy Gaza?” she asked….
Of course he did. And that’s what he wanted: the destruction of Gaza, and the killing of many of its people, which could be usefully used in anti-Israel propaganda. Yahya Sinwar considers every civilian killed or wounded by the IDF a propaganda victory for Hamas.
It’s often said that the wholesale transformation of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan at the end of World War II was only possible because both of the regimes in those countries were unambiguously defeated. Looking at Palestinian politics now, we are very far from such a scenario. All the leaders and all the factions that predominate—Islamist or nationalist, Marwan Barghouti of Fatah or Yahya Sinwar of Hamas—are wedded to the idea that Zionism lies at the root of their ills. Whatever divides them, they are united in the belief that their “liberation” can only be achieved at the expense of another state and another nation; essentially, a zero-sum game that determines for Palestine to live, Israel must die. I dare to hope, given the progress in the field in recent months, that Israel can significantly lessen, if not banish, the prospect of another Oct. 7. I dare not hope for much more than that.
The Palestinian leaders who count the most are Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison but helps direct Fatah from his prison cell, and is widely believed to be a likely successor to Mahmoud Abbas, and Yahya Sinwar, in his tunnel hideout deep under Gaza, who is now effectively the leader of Hamas, calling the shots in Gaza because both Khaled Meshaal and Mousa Abu Marzouk, who technically outrank him in Hamas’ hierarchy, are watching the Gaza war from their luxurious hotel suites in Qatar. Neither of them is willing to give up their dream that “from the river to the sea/Palestine will be free” — in other words, their common goal remains the destruction of the Jewish state and its replacement by “Palestine,” with all of its Jews either expelled or killed.
In Gaza, Sinwar in his underground lair does not care what happens above ground. The exhausted and immiserated masses of Gaza do not tug at his heartstrings; he is indifferent to their misery and to the physical dangers they face from Israeli airstrikes and artillery. Their exhaustion, however, is making them bolder in speaking out against their Hamas overlords. Some dare to express their fury with the terror group that has dragged all of Gaza into a war that most of its civilians did not want, and for which they are paying the steep price in lives lost and infrastructure destroyed. Just the other day a Gazan named Amin Abed, who had been hospitalized after terrorists beat him with hammers and metal bars, from his hospital bed told an interviewer that “at any moment, I can be killed by the Israeli occupation, but I can face the same fate at the hands of those who’ve been ruling us for 17 years,” he said from a UAE hospital bed. “They almost killed me, those killers and criminals.”
How long will it be before those inhabitants of Gaza, now so exhausted by a year of ferocious war, with no end in sight, will fearlessly express their own rage with Hamas, as Amin Abed has done, and take part in mass demonstrations demanding that the terror group — “killers and crooks” according to Abed — release the hostages in order to obtain a ceasefire in the Strip?
rick says
Same thing happened to German citizens during WW II. Allied bombing was commanded by the Brits who decided to break the spirit of the pro-Nazi German population. It worked. Gazans shouldn’t have cheered so loudly the returning Hamas with their Jewish captives after killing, burning and gang raping Jews.
Unfortunately for you both Israel and the remaining Hamas are saying the war in Gaza will be continuing.
They say Palestinians are a tough and hearty people who do not stand down. You should have used some of that heartiness to stand up to Hamas inside of cheering them on. Now you are stuck with facing a real war against a real enemy who has the capacity to kill ten times the number of civilians that Assad did in Syria in his war. But whether you know it or not, Israel is not a butcher so civilian deaths number in 5 figures and not 6 like what Assad gave Syrians.Be glad the people you hate most are Jews and not Arabs.
rick says
Hugh Fitzgerald writes alot of great stuff but this one I am keeping in my favorites. He has explained the Jewish-Palestinian conflict better than anyone has. It is said that there is not hate as corrosive as self hate but Palestinians have managed to transform their own self hate in even a harder and worse hatred for Jews. Nazis hated outsiders. The French and Brits for one and Hitler opened their eyes to understand that Jews are the real reason for Germany’s low status.
Jews were a well integrated community in German. Many Non Jewish Germans had Jewish doctors or Jewish lawyers. They went to concerts to hear Beethoven played by Jews in orchestras possibly conducted by Jews. They shopped at stores, some of which were owned by Jews. They did not hate them them the
way Arabs in Israel hate Jews. Palestinians, like all other Arabs, knew they have been failures in History for hundreds upon hundreds of years. And it was getting worse. Yet Jews developed a society within the same
location which was vibrant and building a better society. It made their own miserable existence look worse. The self hate grew and with it the hatred of Jews next door. Radical Palestinian spokes people explained to them that “Jews are the reason you are doing so poorly. It is the Jewish enemy that is the curse, the Nakba on you”. A much better reason than your own failure by yourselves. So that lie became “The Truth Why We Are Failures” The same line Hitler fed Germans.
And it was taught to children in UNRWA schools. Jews came from monkeys and dogs ( the Hamas/PLO leaders never explained how a people with such a horrible origin built a society so much better than the one that the “brave and honorable Arabs”‘ did). As the “solution” was always the same- “Kill the Jews” and
things will get better. So Oct. 7th they did that. Even going far beyond killing to horrific act against Humanity.
And Gaza today is what they achieved. Rubble and a horrible life. And as Hugh Fitzgerald explains, the Palestinian Gazans are suffering but they probably still believe the Nazi lie “It is the Jews who are responsible for everything bad”.
Westman says
I could be wrong….could it be that few hostages are still living? Half of Hamas is gone yet there are no reasonable negotiation offers to release hostages. Unrealistic demands could also be an indication of existential fear to reveal the bargaining chips are gone.
That there were American citizens taken from the music festival without American military response should put all Americans on notice that their international travels have no umbrella protection from their government – unless a star athlete or of some larger political use.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I really doubt that there are many, if any, living hostages left. Otherwise, they would have done what that Yazidi woman did: after her Arab rapist was killed in a strike, she gathered the courage to go and tell the IDF her story, & then got rescued
With Hamas being totally shattered, this is just the time any surviving hostages could have come and turned themselves in to the Israelis, including those in the tunnels. Which is why I fear for the worst as far as they go
somehistory says
Infidel, I too, believe there are none left alive. Perhaps that is one reason sinwar was attempting to leave for a safer place. If there were none to make his life safer, he wouldn’t be able to threaten their lives if the IDF got close to him.
Mike says
rick: good comments. Between 1900 and 1933 (the year Hitlee came to power), Germany won one-third of all Nobel prizes in science.
Of those Nobel prizes, one quarter of them were awarded to German Jews, even though Jews were only around one percent of the German population.
gravenimage says
Good posts, Rick and Mike.
St Croix says
Their leaders and their religion are their problem. Two powerful families cheated the Arabs there out of their own land and amassed a great deal of wealth. Hajj Amin Al Husseini was a wealthy son of one of those families. It’s the power elite syndrome. No middle class. The Western leaders are mostly aiming for the same thing in the world today. Francisco Gil-White has some great essays on this whole situation on his website and Substack: MOR (Management of Reality).
In his view, it all comes down to semitism vs. antisemitism. It goes beyond Jews, but power-mongers really hate Jews, and real Christians, because of that semitic ethic, which is much more moral, ethical and values the individual. Private property is important. Land ownership is important. Rights for the disadvantaged and vulnerable are encoded in principles and laws.
As a theory, it has a lot going for it. The drive to socialism, to erasing the middle class (too powerful), subverting democracy, dumping migrants everywhere to dilute national identity and indigenous identity. Land ownership becoming increasingly fraught with fees and red tape, forcing people off the land. Controlling the flow of money. Tracking. Taking away freedoms of all kinds, especially dissent. Leveling out of everyone, as in Cuba, a doctor earns the same wage as a ditch digger. Kamala says she wants everyone to have the same benefits. And may I add, disadvantages. All of this, Gil-White calls antisemitic, and the Jews will be the first they target openly, because the Jews gave us the Bible. Even the “New Testament” was mainly written by Jews! Christianity is a Jewish religion that spread to gentiles!
The Muslim beliefs as stated in the Koran and hadith dovetail “nicely” with the whole fiendish and devilish worldview of the powermongers. They can ally with them, as Hitler did, and even use them, as is happening in many Western nations. So finally if they ever succeed, they can then duke it out amongst themselves for world domination and see who comes out on top.
Anyway, worth checking out. Enjoyed your comments.
St Croix says
I didn’t state explicitly why Jews and also Christians are hated due to their respect for the Bible, and holding it in high esteem, even holy.
The Bible goes further than the Hammurabi Code. Semitism, as in, fair play and justice, existed before the Bible it should be noted, and some cultures embraced this outlook, while others were power-wielding, elitist, oppressive, forceful. Some semitic peoples who held to these views, as a culture, left their mark and writings, so we can tell who they were. Not all racial/linguistic/ethnic semitic peoples did, obviously. Mohammed was semitic, as an Arab. The Assyrian Empire was semitic, and exceedingly cruel. In the latter stages, they converted en masse to Christianity though.
The Bible encapsulates the worldview that God is really in charge, and humans should keep that in mind and behave accordingly. Those who abuse the weaker, who kill, who steal, cheat, lie, take land, rob widows, rape, throw out their old wife with no benefits and run off with someone else, lie in court, administer false judgements, are perverted, abuse animals, take advantage of persons down on their luck to cheat them out of their possessions, those who are lazy and expect everything for nothing, who are cruel, etc etc. are abominable. And maybe should get the death penalty for some of those things.
This is why the power elites hate Jews and Christianity. Power elites believe the opposite, in spite of what they might say. They believe the ends justify the means. Benefits for everyone (means for those in their coterie). “Access to property” doesn’t mean encouraging private land ownership, rather that there is no real private property, anyone should be able to access your property, trespass, help themselves, and especially the government and officials of “governance” as the non-elected entities pulling a lot of strings refer to themselves, without being direct about it. You get the picture! The Bible is a radical, powerful treasure trove, hence they must discredit, smear and destroy it and its adherents.
Mike says
…Hitler… (typo)
PRCS USN (ret) says
From the article:
“Just the other day a Gazan named Amin Abed, who had been hospitalized after terrorists beat him with hammers and metal bars, from his hospital bed told an interviewer that “at any moment, I can be killed by the Israeli occupation, but I can face the same fate at the hands of those who’ve been ruling us for 17 years,” he said from a UAE hospital bed. “They almost killed me, those killers and criminals.””
They threaten all humanity. Even their own.
gravenimage says
Yep.
Hudders. says
Oh what a shame, my heart bleeds for them. NOT.
I don’t believe a word that comes from their lying mouths anyway.
Maybe soon there will be none of them left to infect the region with their satanic death cult jihadist madness.
Surrender, release hostages or continue being blown to bits. Your choice, your fault. Terrorist scum.
Baby killing rabid animals are best put to sleep, lest they attack someone else & spead their dangerous disease.
The world in general is much safer for it.
abu taleb says
They are tired of the war because they are losing. If they are winning then they will continue the war happily.
They are tired of the war, but they will keep hating the Jews and other non muslims.
somehistory says
True, abu taleb. If they were winning, they would be celebrating and willingly making sacrifices.
gravenimage says
Too true, abu taleb.
Troybeam says
Gazan’s tired of war well tough nuts people of Gaza you brought this upon your selves for attacking Israel.
Your support of Hamas is your own undoing as this group cares nothing for you people as you are shield’s to protect the soldiers even the children are used as shields.
Sympathy for you, not a bit cause you dug your own grave by openly supporting a murderous organization, and not one sane person will believe the anything you say if you suddenly accept Israel.
James Lincoln says
According to the feature article:
“Gazan Arabs Getting Tired of the War”
A war that at least 70% of them had supported…
somehistory says
and, to add to your comment, James, a war in which many engaged in taking lives, taking hostages and using the hostages as slaves in their homes.
James Lincoln says
Tragically true, somehistory.
gravenimage says
Good point, James. Most of them are probably just tired of getting their butts kicked by Israel.
OLD GUY says
The people of Gaza are getting what they paid for and supported in Hamas. It’s a lot easier to cheer when you’re winning than when you’re getting your ass handed to you by the country you attacked.
Westpacwill says
In the final days, Old Guy, both Jews and Muslims will embrace Jesus as their savior, and because of this. will join the millions that will be slaughtered by the recalcitrant Muslim terrorists. Pray for that glorious day when millions of souls are ransomed by the blood of Christ, and mourn for those Gazans who die before that day. But the miracle has already begun. The fastest growing religion in Iran is Christianity! And more Muslims have come to Christ in the last ten years than in the past 1,400 years combined. Sunni and Shi’ite are alarmed to see this and may already be starting the mass executions?.
PRCS USN (ret) says
I like your handle.
gravenimage says
Gazan Arabs Getting Tired of the War
………………………………
Maybe now that Sinwar is dead they will finally release the poor hostages.
Beneath the Veil of Consciousness says
Unfortunately, these brainwashed fools must be forced to a point where they can’t think of their hatred and attachment to their death cult ideology without being reminded of the terrible cost they’ve paid for their leanings. In other words, they need to own their horrible beliefs through a most painful cost. Until recently. the Gazans and Muslims of the West Bank have had their evil hate filled ideology rewarded and subsidized through the ‘Pay for Slay’ program and foreign aid.
As with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, the cure exacts a heavy toll.