Shootings, Devastation, Hunger: Israel Fails to Address Gaza's Power Vacuum
Source: NYT
"Over the weekend, Israeli soldiers shot Palestinians near an Israeli-backed aid site and a U.N. convoy. Both episodes pointed to Israels refusal to allow new governance structures to emerge.
For a year and a half, experts have warned that Israels 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 Gazas southern border, another at its northern edge have highlighted the accuracy of those predictions.
.... That failure to find a solution has led to Israels growing diplomatic isolation. On Monday, 25 countries, including Britain, France and Japan, called Israels 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
Full article at link.

SunSeeker
(56,227 posts)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
(56,336 posts)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
(14,095 posts)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
(56,336 posts)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
(14,095 posts)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
(56,336 posts)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
(14,095 posts)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
(56,336 posts)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
(3,435 posts)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
(1,127 posts)and shooting at them when trying to get food is not a good answer, maybe you agree ... or not.
iemanja
(56,336 posts)cliffside
(1,127 posts)below in this thread.
...everyone in Gaza must die...?
...
stopdiggin
(14,095 posts)Appear to be willing to cling to power down to the last baby - or drop of (either Palestinian or Israeli) blood
myohmy2
(3,603 posts)...who's doing the killing...?
...who's doing the dying...?
...I know, the devil made me do it...
...
AloeVera
(3,435 posts)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
(513 posts)Are there even any operational targets left at this point in Gaza? What is Israel protecting itself from now?
Im not saying Hamas doesnt have power or that theyre 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, its clear this has gone well beyond attacking terrorism. Its about destroying Gazas people, its civilian infrastructure, and starving them, and making any surviving residents lives so miserable they are driven to flee.
I used to argue its not genocide, but maybe Ill split hairs and just call it ethnic cleansing, because at the minimum thats 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
(36,960 posts)Hamas does retain operational capacity.
Certainly, enough to terrorize any Gazans who try to organize to negotiate with the IDF.
AloeVera
(3,435 posts)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
(56,227 posts)AloeVera
(3,435 posts)iemanja
(56,336 posts)Its called genocide.
myohmy2
(3,603 posts)...to turn this into an achievement...
...many ways to turn this into inhumanity...
...this will be remembered...
Beastly Boy
(13,165 posts)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
(14,095 posts)Ummmmm?
Damned if you do - and damned if you don't ... 'Bout right?
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