Israel warns displaced Gazans not to return home on threat of death

[Jefferson23]

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The Israeli army on Saturday warned Palestinians who have fled their homes since the beginning of the ground assault not to return, stressing that the army would not hesitate to use force against them.

The warning came as thousands returned to see the area and remove their possessions from destroyed homes, amid a 12-hour humanitarian ceasefire set to expire at 8 p.m.

The Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a statement that those who stayed on in the neighborhood past the end of the ceasefire would be "putting their lives in danger," as the army is expected to resume a heavy assault that has taken nearly 1,000 Palestinian lives so far.

Many Gazans have been left with nowhere to go, as Israel has extended the security "buffer zone" into a total of 43 percent of Gaza's land area.

in full: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=716386


B'Tselem:Call for the immediate arrangement of a channel for civilians to escape the battle zone


Published:
24 Jul 2014

The offensive in the Gaza Strip has resulted in widespread injury to the civilian population. At the time of writing, and since the fighting began, at least 718 people have been killed, with most sources and estimates indicating that at least 70% of those killed were civilians who were not involved in the hostilities. Over 140,000 people have abandoned their homes and taken shelter in UNWRA buildings. In addition to serious damage to the water and electricity infrastructure, there has been serious damage to hospitals and medical institutions and destruction of residential buildings.

This appeal is concerned with the absence of any secure area in the Gaza Strip to which civilians can escape to protect their lives and ensure their safety and that of their families. We demand the immediate opening of an escape route for civilians to escape the battle zone.

Read full text of the letter

The organizations who signed the letter:

Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel / Association for Civil Rights in Israel / Bimkom - Planners for Planning Rights / B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories / Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement / HaMoked - Center for the Defence of the Individual / Machsom Watch / Physicians for Human Rights – Israel / Public Committee Against Torture in Israel / Rabbis for Human Rights / Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights

http://www.btselem.org/press_release/20140724_joint_letter_on_evacuation

[geek tragedy]

1. Israel is so awesomely humane! nt

[Jefferson23]

2. The contrast in the two messages I put up tells a stark reality..don't go back,

and we have provided no where for you to go, per B'tselem. That the Israeli
government would even need B'Tselem to state the obvious is sickening.

[brer cat]

3. This situation is getting beyond sickening.

I so wish Obama and Kerry would tell Israel that we are pulling ALL financial support immediately. We should not be a party to this.

The question remains...where do they go? Just stay in Gaza and be bombed into oblivion?

[Jefferson23]

4. As you can see, all the human rights groups have demanded Israel have a means

by which they can leave. What they'll do in response, I have no idea.

Horrific situation.

[stranger81]

26. They have two clear choices: stay and die, or leave and never be allowed to return again.

That is the objective of this latest offensive in Gaza and the West Bank, as clearly laid out yesterday by the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/15326#.U9JOA7HPSSq

[brer cat]

32. But do they have safe passage out

and a place willing to take and keep them? My impression is that Gaza is a prison, and they are as likely to be killed trying to leave as they are staying put.

(My question should not imply that I think it is a good idea to kick them out of their own country. I think the Israeli land-grabbing is wrong.)

[stranger81]

34. As far as I know, they have neither safe passage nor a place willing to accept them.

But I suppose it's a chance, one better than certain death.

This situation is just absolutely FUBAR.

[awoke_in_2003]

40. Can't go home...

can't leave Gaza. A modern day ghetto.

[demigoddess]

19. yes, I'm sorry but

it sounds an awful lot like when the Nazis put the jews into ghettos and then carted them off to
concentration camps. The Israelis should see this and be ashamed of themselves.

[Jefferson23]

20. Stick to the facts, they are horrendous enough and you don't help Palestinians when

you make statements like that..I am not attacking you, if what I said seemed that way.

Please think about the significant difference between what actions may feel like and
what they actually are.

[awoke_in_2003]

41. Yes, the Israelis haven't broken out the Zyclon B

yet.

[Jefferson23]

43. I know it's horrendous, I do..I did not mean to diminish what is happening . n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

44. I know...

and maybe I shouldn't have said what I did, but the way they are compacting these people into one little area and not allowing them to leave seems awful "ghetto-ish" to me. They (the government, not all Israelis) do not see these people as human.

[Jefferson23]

45. I hear you, I do..the devastation and lives lost and no where to go....hard to find the

words.

[awoke_in_2003]

46. It is very frustrating indeed...

I try not to be an overly emotional guy, but when I see dead kids it tears me up. But for the luck of where I was born, those could be my grandkids.

[Jefferson23]

47. Aww geeze..this is what adds to the frustration for many, world wide...so sorry. n/t

[demigoddess]

51. you have your wish.

I am leaving DU because while I have been listening to the news, etc from Palestine and Israel for 45 years, I am considered uninformed. Israel had its chance to be a neighbor to a friendly Palestine and they blew it.

[Jefferson23]

52. My wish is not for you to leave, and I am truly sorry if you took what I said to be hurtful to

you or that I implied you should leave. I hope you'll reconsider.

[malaise]

5. Genocide and land theft

Round which one is this?

[stranger81]

28. Round ad infinitum.

Rinse and repeat, until all the Palestinians are out of your hair.

[malaise]

29. Sadly it is looking that way

but if you think Palestine is all they want you haven't read their meme.

[stranger81]

30. Oh, I know. Taking all the land between the river and the sea

is just the first salvo.

After all, all those undifferentiated A-rabs can just move to another A-rab country, right?

[Archae]

6. Have anything more from this pro-Hamas site?

[Jefferson23]

7. Name the website for me, that is pro-Hamas, please. n/t

[Bodhi BloodWave]

8. that should be obvious

Any website that criticizes Israel's conduct in the occupied territories are Pro-Hamas by default since it's slandering their humane and pure intentions (do i need a sarcasm tag here?)

On a more serious note, you are asking a good question i think since i haven't seen any Pro-Hamas sites, i have seen a few sympathetic toward the Palestinians so the poster might refer to some of them

[Jefferson23]

10. It is always fair and right to check sources, some of the most reliable can be wrong.

In this case I was asking which website did the poster believe was a pro-Hamas
website..Ma'an or B'Tselem ( an Israeli human rights group )

Ma'an is a Palestinian publication, and if you look at their source for this report
it is verified. Do I find it repugnant that someone would dump and run a question
like they did? Yea, I do.

For example, some question how many of the dead are civilians, and say it
is not correct, only propaganda created by Hamas supporters. Yet if you
look closely enough, you'll find the human rights groups estimates,
which are in the 70% range and above, identifying them as civilians is a ratio
confirmed by Israel as well. Despite that, you will find a few people
here to reject that. You just need to apply simple math:

The Israeli army said that it had killed about 240 militants in ground operations.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/07/26/234531/israel-hamas-set-12-hour-pause.html#storylink=cpy

[Bodhi BloodWave]

12. I quite agree with you on that its always right and fair to check sources

The mental list of 'banned' sources in my mind is quite small to be honest as I'm willing to ponder most sources of news(Stormfront and similar is the types of sites on my list)

There is a few sites as well as posters(here on DU) i would trust for the most part but mainly I'm of the check and verify mindset(posters and sites i trust have been accurate for a prolonged period of time thus rare). If we look at DU specifically then RT tends to get a number of people up in arms if used as a source, i personally find news from them acceptable but i will check it against other sources(doubly so if the news is about Russia itself).

My previous post though was partly tongue in cheek i admit and somewhat unfair to the poster since i am not familiar with their post history(i just find it a common mindset these days) so i owe them an apology *dips head*

[Jefferson23]

13. Based on their history of responses to the I/P conflict and that I received no reply seeking

clarification..I don't feel you need to apologize at all..but clearly, that is not my call.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

14. You are more familiar with their posting history then me

I just figured my post might have been somewhat unfair toward somebody i don't know

There is no harm in being courteous after all if one has committed a faux pas, I hope the poster will return to answer though as i would like to know the answer myself now.

[Jefferson23]

16. I hear ya. So far, no response.

back at ya.

[Comrade Grumpy]

11. Shameful Likudnik bullshit. Attacking an Israeli human rights organization.

From Wikipedia:

B'Tselem (Hebrew: בצלם?, "in the image of [God]&quot is an Israeli non-governmental organization (NGO) founded on February 3, 1989 by a group of prominent Israeli lawyers, academics, journalists, and members of the Knesset.[1] B'Tselem's stated goals are to document human rights violations in the occupied territories, combat denial and help to create a human rights culture in Israel.[1] In December 1989, B'Tselem shared the Carter-Menil Human Rights Prize with the Palestinian group, Al-Haq.[3][4] Its executive director is Jessica Montell.[2]

B'Tselem has been harshly criticized by Israeli nationalists. In 2011, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman charged the group with abetting terrorism and weakening Israel's defense forces.

Here's their web site: http://www.btselem.org/ Judge for yourself.

This is a disgusting attack. Puts the poster on the same page with the racist hate-monger Lieberman.

[malaise]

31. One of B'Tselem's representatives was on BBC a few days ago

It was refreshing to hear the views of that human rights body. They speak truth to their own government.

[BlindTiresias]

18. Pro-hamas?

Care to back that up you right wing Likud supporter?

[Roy Serohz]

9. Seems Fair

[Iggo]

15. So it's just a twelve hour break for thre Israeli Army then.

How nice.

[Uncle Joe]

17. This is disgraceful.

Thanks for the thread, Jefferson.

[Jefferson23]

23. Frightening too, as the cease fire may not get extended before any truce.

You are most welcome.

[Bettie]

21. By extending their 'buffer zone' they compact their targets into a smaller space

Makes it much easier to kill them in larger numbers. Efficiency! /sarcasm

[Tetris_Iguana]

22. Sounds like sage advice

considering their homes are in the middle of a WAR ZONE.

[kelliekat44]

24. Since most of the people in power here in the US don't like Obama anyway and

will not support him on any issue and regard him as a Muslim-loving-Christian-hating-noncitizen and illegitimate President what does he have to lose by speaking out against the gruesome carnage leveled on the Palestinians in Gaza? Only the people who already don't like him will be offended. Yes, he will be attacked by the media, the MIC, the corporate owners etc. But I just don't believe he is in his heart and soul approving of what is going on in Gaza now. Yes, there will be time to criticize Hamas for daring to defend themselves against the powerful militant nation of Israel but right now it is a matter of humanity or inhumanity. I am so waiting for the Obama I believe in to speak out with passion against a policy that supports this carnage. Even many Jews, including some holocaust survivors are speaking out...but to no avail. No matter how much I am pained by the historical record and photo documentation of the holocaust, I have to go on record with my own soul and protest what I see going on now in Gaza.

[stranger81]

25. Laying the groundwork for another land grab,

just like they did when refugees were forced from their homes in 1948.

This playbook is so obvious, so transparent, I'm amazed that so many swallow Israeli propaganda hook, line and sinker.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

27. Return to what homes?

Last post I saw said entire neighbourhoods were being reduced to rubble. If what's going on now follows the pattern of what happened in Iraq after the US' 'shock and awe', far more Palestinians will be dying of exposure, disease and starvation in the aftermath than will be killed by bullets or bombs.

[Jefferson23]

33. 9:41 P.M.

Diplomatic source tells Haaretz that Hamas is prepared to accept a 24 hour extension of the humanitarian pause in Gaza fighting contingent on Israeli cabinet decision. (Barak Ravid)

10:20 P.M. Hamas' military wing takes responsibility for rocket fire to south and central Israel. (Jack Khoury)

Iron Dome intercepts two rockets fired toward Ashkelon. Another rocket was intercepted over Kiryat Ekron area in central Israel. Another rocket explodes in open area in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, causing no damage. Earlier, rocket sirens were sounded in Ashkelon and in Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. Sirens were also sounded minutes earlier in central Israel. (Shirly Seidler, Gili Cohen)

In Tel Aviv, the demonstration against the war in Gaza is cut short, after police asks for the event to be ended due to the resumed rocket fire from Gaza. Three people were arrested in the demonstration. (Zafrir Rinat and Yaniv Kubovich)

10:45 P.M. Hamas senior official Musa Abu Marzouk says the Egyptian cease-fire initiative does not accord with Hamas' stance. In a Facebook post, Abu Marzouk wrote that "the disagreement over the Egyptian initiative pertains not only to the details, but to terms, like the definition of the resistance as aggression, or the phrasing which discusses negotiation based on the 67' line, and the recognition of the international community's decisions. These are positions which do not correspond with the resistance's stance." (Jack Khoury)

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.607272

[Jefferson23]

35. Tweet from Palestinian young man:

[Jefferson23]

36. The Children of Gaza ( Commentary by Jon Snow - Channel 4 )

&feature=player_detailpage#t=131

[Jefferson23]

37. 11:59 P.M.

The Israeli security cabinet voted to ascend to the UN's request and to approve a humanitarian pause in fighting until midnight Sunday. During this period, the IDF will continue to neutralize Gaza tunnels and will respond to violations of the pause. The cabinet will meet tomorrow to discuss the next step in the military operation in Gaza. (Barak Ravid)

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.607272

[L0oniX]

38. Message was hidden by jury decision.

I can't say or discuss what I really feel on DU. Thanks.

[Jefferson23]

39. Sometimes it is best to take a breath and then come back to it, you are a thoughtful

poster, Loonix. The images are beyond appalling..I am sorry if I have in any
way added too much information.

It can be hard to take...peace out.

[nilesobek]

42. If you go home we will kill you?

Is that what the IDF is saying? What will they have them do next? Stand on their heads?

[countryjake]

48. kickety

[RedCappedBandit]

49. The fact that my tax dollars support this sickens me.

[riseabove]

50. +1