Shootings, Devastation, Hunger: Israel Fails to Address Gaza's Power Vacuum

[cliffside]

Source: NYT

"Over the weekend, Israeli soldiers shot Palestinians near an Israeli-backed aid site and a U.N. convoy. Both episodes pointed to Israel’s refusal to allow new governance structures to emerge.

For a year and a half, experts have warned that Israel’s failure to plan for a power transition in Gaza would lead to anarchy, make it harder to deliver aid and stymie efforts to defeat Hamas.

A sequence of shootings in Gaza over the weekend — one near Gaza’s southern border, another at its northern edge — have highlighted the accuracy of those predictions.

.... That failure to find a solution has led to Israel’s growing diplomatic isolation. On Monday, 25 countries, including Britain, France and Japan, called Israel’s conduct “unacceptable” and demanded that Israel end the war immediately..."

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/21/world/middleeast/shootings-aid-gaza-analysis.html?unlocked_article_code=1.YU8.ZGx9.TVp6R-iXAEiM&smid=url-share

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Full article at link.

[SunSeeker]

1. It is Hamas who has refused to allow any new governance structure.

Hamas insists it must maintain security control of Gaza as a core demand. It says it will fight the Palestinian Authority or any Arab government that tries to come in. That is why Hamas has been refusing the cease fire deals.

World pressure should be squarely on Hamas to accept a cease fire. Hamas is the bad guy here.

Free Palestine--from Hamas.

[iemanja]

3. Death camps

Starving people being shot at, plans to herd 2 million Gazans into death camps, from which Israel says they will not be allowed to leave alive, but you think the issue is a cease fire?

SMH

[stopdiggin]

6. no. the issue is Hamas.

And as long as that entity refuses to cede power (and enact an enforceable cease fire) - Gaza remains in a state of war. Granted not a symmetrical war - but that does not change the fact that Hamas still plays a major role in the continuation of the war (and Palestinian suffering).

Many of us would like to pretend like the terrorists have suddenly disappeared. Be assured, they have not. And they are still a major issue.

[iemanja]

7. I suggest you do a bit of reading on current events

in Gaza. Some of the articles linked in this post would be a good start.


https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20503002

[stopdiggin]

12. I have been following

And I still hold the viewpoint that - as long as Hamas clings to power (and their brutal methods and agenda) - this remains a two sided conflict. As I concede, it is not a symmetrical fight - but that does not change the fact that Hamas could change the landscape, for the conflict and their Palestinian subjects - tomorrow - if they chose to do so.

[iemanja]

15. What do you imagine Hamas could do now

To prompt the war cabinet to change its plans to slaughter 2 million people? To change it from killing them in what former Israeli PM Olmert calls concentration camps designed for ethnic cleaning?

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, so I assumed you were unaware of the death camps. I clearly made a serious error here.

[stopdiggin]

19. surrender. turn themselves, and their stock of munitions and weapons, over ..

this is the way other conflicts have ended. why no consideration for such an option here? bit of a blind spot? (or so it seems from this perspective)

[iemanja]

21. How would that change Israel's plans?

The New York Times article makes clear that Bibi backed away from cease fire agreements because the radical right would have tossed him out of government. Their goal is to see ALL Palestinians removed from Gaza, not to stop Hamas. It's to round up 2 million people into concentration camps.

After a year and a half of Israel's targeting civilians, I'd think you'd figure out this has little to nothing to do with Hamas. Your argument doesn't mesh with developments as their currently exist.

[AloeVera]

18. And until they do, it's perfectly fine to continue with the mass murders and starvation?

Until Hamas gives Israel everything it wants, it is free to continue the apocalyptic suffering?

People who want to ignore or skirt that critical question reveal to others that to them, Palestinians lives are secondary to Israel's objectives and if many more have to die, so be it. That's not OK.

[cliffside]

22. Agree with you that many Palestinians are "subjects" or call them hostages, starving the "subjects"

and shooting at them when trying to get food is not a good answer, maybe you agree ... or not.

[iemanja]

8. On Hamas and cease fire proposals

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220477519

[cliffside]

24. Appreciate you posting the link, for some reason the thread does not advance in GD so posted it ...

below in this thread.

[myohmy2]

9. so...

...everyone in Gaza must die...?

...

[stopdiggin]

11. seems to be just fine as far as Hamas is concerned

Appear to be willing to cling to power down to the last baby - or drop of (either Palestinian or Israeli) blood

[myohmy2]

16. c'mon...

...who's doing the killing...?

...who's doing the dying...?

...I know, the devil made me do it...

...

[AloeVera]

20. Doesn't absolve Israel. It is responsible for the human acopalypse it created.

It's not power they are clinging to, it is their LAND they cling to. They want Israel's full withdrawal. They know what happens when Israel "occupies" land. And didn't Israel just announce they will force all Gazans into a tiny area and then EXPEL them to another country?? And a poll found that that plan to expel is supported by 82% of Israeli Jews?WTF??

What does Hamas have to do with any of that? Why would Hamas agree to anything now, since it won't make any difference to what Israel is going to do? Of course this is just another sabotage of negotiations by Netanyahu so he can continue to raze Gaza to the ground, and "encourage" Gazans to leave if they want to live.

What inhumanity.

[fujiyamasan]

4. How much power does Hamas really have at this point?

Are there even any operational targets left at this point in Gaza? What is Israel protecting itself from now?

I’m not saying Hamas doesn’t have power or that they’re not a threat to Israel, but I doubt the Hamas that conducted the October 7th attacks is what exists now.

As someone that used to consider myself pro Israel, and believe they had an absolute right to retaliate for October 7th, it’s clear this has gone well beyond attacking terrorism. It’s about destroying Gaza’s people, it’s civilian infrastructure, and starving them, and making any surviving residents lives so miserable they are driven to flee.

I used to argue it’s not genocide, but maybe I’ll split hairs and just call it ethnic cleansing, because at the minimum that’s what has been going on for sometime now. Hell, Trump, Netanyahu and their ardent followers like Fetterman (well on Israel), advocate as much. Forced relocation is a policy goal for this Israeli government.

[maxsolomon]

13. They ambushed and killed 7 IDF soldiers in June.

Hamas does retain operational capacity.

Certainly, enough to terrorize any Gazans who try to organize to negotiate with the IDF.

[AloeVera]

17. Israel has created a situation where people will die en masse now.

FFS.

THIS IS GENOCIDE.

YOU ARE STILL BLAMING HAMAS?

WHO IS THE OCUPYING FORCE CONTROLLING NEAR ALL OF GAZA, WHO BLOCKS EVEN BABY FOOD, WHO FUNDS THE CRIMINAL GANGS WITH ISIS OR AL QUEDA TIES, WHO CREATED GHF, WHO IS HIRING BULLDOZER CONTRACTORS TO DEMOLISH HOMES, ON AND ON, WHO, WHO WHO??

PEOPLE ARE DROPPING ON THE STREETS AND IN THEIR HOMES FROM ORGAN FAILURE CAUSED BY STARVATION. A NUMBER OF B-A-B-I-E- S STARVED TO DEATH IN RECENT DAYS.

THERE ARE NO MORE EXCUSES! No more hasbara. This is apocalyptic and its fucking intentional. It must stop. We all have to agree, it must stop. Only Israel can stop it.

[SunSeeker]

25. Yes, I'm still blaming Hamas. They started this war. They can agree to a cease fire at any time. nt

[AloeVera]

26. I see. N/T

[iemanja]

2. Israel has a plan

It’s called genocide.

[myohmy2]

5. no way...

...to turn this into an achievement...

...many ways to turn this into inhumanity...

...this will be remembered...

[Beastly Boy]

10. Israel planning for a power transition equals land grab.

Last edited Tue Jul 22, 2025, 01:47 PM - Edit history (1)

Israel not planning for a power transition = failure to address power vacuum.

Is there anything in the world that is not Israel's fault?

[stopdiggin]

14. precisely! I caught that little gem too. "Power vacuum" .....

Ummmmm?
Damned if you do - and damned if you don't ... 'Bout right?

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[cliffside]

23. How Netanyahu Prolonged the War in Gaza to Stay in Power

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220477519

Full NYT article above.