Meanwhile guess who DOES target civilians?
Hamas.
And the Houthis from Yemen who fire missiles indiscriminately into Israel and send me and my loved ones into shelters night after night.
Are you irritating in RL? (light hearted)
this continues an ongoing thread on Gaza
www.gransnet.com/forums/news_and_politics/a1347791-Israel-to-conquer-Gaza?msgid=31157292#31157292
The O/P read (in part)
"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the population of Gaza will be displaced to the south after his security cabinet approved an expanded military operation in the enclave that a minister described as a plan to “conquer” the territory.
The vote on Sunday came hours after the military said it would mobilize tens of thousands of reservists, strengthening its capacity to operate in the besieged Palestinian territory.
“One thing will be clear: there will be no in-and-out,” Netanyahu said in a Monday video message posted on X. “We’ll call up reserves to come, hold territory — we’re not going to enter and then exit the area, only to carry out raids afterward. That’s not the plan. The intention is the opposite.”
We now have the aid crisis at the focus of world wide attention.
Meanwhile guess who DOES target civilians?
Hamas.
And the Houthis from Yemen who fire missiles indiscriminately into Israel and send me and my loved ones into shelters night after night.
I am happy to post here, but I will NOT tolerate libel like "but the IDF DOES target civilians".
Sorry but that is a dreadful lie, and if you believe it you have fallen for Hamas' propaganda.
Terrible things are happening, and innocents are getting killed, as they do in any war. Again, I regret any loss of innocent life.
But to say that Israel WANTS to harm civilians is a blood libel that I will not tolerate.
If Israel wanted to harm civilians this war would be conducted very differently.
Do you know that Israel sends out fliers warning civilians to leave specific areas before they are attacked?
Do you know of any other army in the history of warfare that warns where and when it will attack, precisely to AVOID civilian casualties?
I don't.
You are being fed lies.
Like the lie that 14,000 babies were going to die from starvation within 48 hours. Did you hear that one the other day? The very next day a correction was issued. They warned that babies might suffer from malnutrition if this goes on for another year.
Big difference in messaging, but guess which one is remembered and quoted endlessly?
I HATE this war and want it over TODAY.
For that Hamas needs to do 2 things and 2 things only: return all of our hostages, and put down their arms / change their stated aim which is to kill us. If they do that the war will end. Right now.
Meanwhile please please understand that I live here, I know what is going on a) because Israel has a free press and most of the press is anti-Netanyahu so believe me they want nothing more than to expose any wrongdoings (and they do, all the time). No-one is claiming that Israel is targeting civilians, except one crazy left wing guy who made a statement like that and immediately apologized.
I also know many people who are there, on the ground, close up, seeing what is going on (I can't say more than that).
So growstuff, please stop with the lies.
ISRAEL DOES NOT TARGET CIVILIANS, EVER.
Maremia
Oh gosh, am I wrong then? I do apologise. So some of the posters are unaware that Hamas are terrorists?
We should hang our heads in shame! I didn't realise GN was a hotbed of Hamas supporters either! 
Oh gosh, am I wrong then? I do apologise. So some of the posters are unaware that Hamas are terrorists?
Anniebach
Quote Maremia Mon 26-May-25 16:17:13
'we'...the posters on this thread. We know that Hamas are terrorists. All clear now?
Very clear thank you, I didn’t know you spoke for the posters on this thread , most interesting
It is interesting, isn't it? Have you spotted any posters on GN who have given Hamas support? If you have, maybe you could name and shame them because I haven't seen any.
You are very brave Philippa60 to demonstrate against Netanyahu. Footage has been shown about how rough and sometimes brutal your security services are with demonstrators.
We have to rely on what is shown in our media, but then so do you, and who controls what you see?
Quote Maremia Mon 26-May-25 16:17:13
'we'...the posters on this thread. We know that Hamas are terrorists. All clear now?
Very clear thank you, I didn’t know you spoke for the posters on this thread , most interesting
'we'...the posters on this thread. We know that Hamas are terrorists. All clear now?
Please keep posting Philippa60. Your views are valuable. I think most of us are anti Netanyahu not anti Israel and a voice from Israel is welcome.
I think communications in terms of judging what the BBC actually say are hampered by lack of access abroad to, say, BBC I player which has so many details that we draw news from?
Quote Maremia Mon 26-May-25 15:45:20
We know that Annie. Just attempting to answer your question.
We ?
Lovely to hear from you Philippa and to get a viewpoint from someone who is actually in Israel.
I hope you will feel able to keep contributing here. It's completely understandable how difficult you must find it reading some of these posts - but like anything in life there will always be small minority who will argue that black is white and white is black however much evidence there is to the contrary!
Conversely, there will be many here who will welcome your valuable input.
The BBC didn’t check the participants in their documentary,
they were from families of Hamas
"I am extremely opposed to Netanyahu and his government, and am one of the vocal thousands demonstrating against him"
Good to hear your views, Philippa60, may they prosper in Israel and a more moderate regime seek ceasefire and a productive way ahead across the table.
Our media does its very best to ID non Hamas sources for whats happening on the ground too: our press seeks them out as far as possible, and any anti-Hamas demonstrations by Palestinians are much sought out, but journalists aren't allowed into Gaza. BBC journalists do operate from Jerusalem.
We know that Annie. Just attempting to answer your question.
Quote Maremia Mon 26-May-25 15:33:47
As in, what would persuade them? No idea. The hostages don't matter to them, the people of Gaza don't matter to them. We would have to know what does matter to them, but it might be something the Israelis are not prepared to do.
They are terrorists ,
Philippa60
I try and stay off these threads as it is honestly too upsetting for me as someone who lives here in Israel.
Thank you to the few of you who do seem to understand the difference between Hamas terrorists who are still holding 58 of our hostages (only around 20 of them alive) and the only democracy in the Middle East.
We were attacked on October 7th and this war is still ongoing until we get our hostages back and remove Hamas as a threat on our border (they have promised to repeat the massacre again and again, in case you weren't aware).
So sadly until those 2 aims are achieved, the war won't end.
I am extremely opposed to Netanyahu and his government, and am one of the vocal thousands demonstrating against him.
We are a democracy, and until the next election (October 2026) we are stuck with him.
To clarify once again: the IDF DOES NOT TARGET CIVILIAN S (unlike Hamas).
Civilians are harmed because Hamas wants that. They are given ample warning to move out of areas being targeted because there are terrorists there.
Aid trucks ARE getting in. Hamas steals the aid and then sells it back to those poor civilians at an exorbitant price.
Don't believe everything you see and hear on the BBC, Sky etc. I feel that they are so anti Israel and jump on any news without verifying if it's true.
My heart bleeds for ALL innocent people being harmed in this tragic war. I know that is true for all of my family and friends too.
It is only the extreme right who even suggest Israel re-taking Gaza. That is not on any mainstream agenda.
I am happy to write here if anyone finds my on the ground perspective helpful.
I will try and dispel some of the fake news you are being fed
But the IDF does target civilians!
As in, what would persuade them? No idea. The hostages don't matter to them, the people of Gaza don't matter to them. We would have to know what does matter to them, but it might be something the Israelis are not prepared to do.
Quote Maremia Mon 26-May-25 15:25:11
Possibly because the hostages are the only bargaining tool that Hamas has? Annieb
What would they want to release the hostages ?
Possibly because the hostages are the only bargaining tool that Hamas has? Annieb
Welcome back Philippa
I try and stay off these threads as it is honestly too upsetting for me as someone who lives here in Israel.
Thank you to the few of you who do seem to understand the difference between Hamas terrorists who are still holding 58 of our hostages (only around 20 of them alive) and the only democracy in the Middle East.
We were attacked on October 7th and this war is still ongoing until we get our hostages back and remove Hamas as a threat on our border (they have promised to repeat the massacre again and again, in case you weren't aware).
So sadly until those 2 aims are achieved, the war won't end.
I am extremely opposed to Netanyahu and his government, and am one of the vocal thousands demonstrating against him.
We are a democracy, and until the next election (October 2026) we are stuck with him.
To clarify once again: the IDF DOES NOT TARGET CIVILIAN S (unlike Hamas).
Civilians are harmed because Hamas wants that. They are given ample warning to move out of areas being targeted because there are terrorists there.
Aid trucks ARE getting in. Hamas steals the aid and then sells it back to those poor civilians at an exorbitant price.
Don't believe everything you see and hear on the BBC, Sky etc. I feel that they are so anti Israel and jump on any news without verifying if it's true.
My heart bleeds for ALL innocent people being harmed in this tragic war. I know that is true for all of my family and friends too.
It is only the extreme right who even suggest Israel re-taking Gaza. That is not on any mainstream agenda.
I am happy to write here if anyone finds my on the ground perspective helpful.
I will try and dispel some of the fake news you are being fed
Whitewavemark2
The way the aid is now supposed to be getting through to the hungry and sick is through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, apparently set up be Israel this year, although there are reportedly at least 2 other charities with the same name. However the one being used by the Israelis is registered in Geneva with Jake Wood its CEO.
Unfortunately Wood has resigned almost as soon as he started work, because in his opinion “ Two months ago, I was approached about leading GHF’s efforts because of my experience in humanitarian operations” Wood said in the statement.
“Like many others around the world, I was horrified and heartbroken at the hunger crisis in Gaza and, as a humanitarian leader, I was compelled to do whatever I could to help alleviate the suffering.”
But, he said, it had become “clear that it is not possible to implement this plan while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which I will not abandon.”
Clearly then, the aid that is getting through will not be distributed according to either humanitarian guidelines or impartiality.
This is enormously significant, because the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was actually the agency set up by the USA and Israel together, WWM
Its the one that was supposed to be an alternative to the UN one and set up supposedly with US to work with Israel on the 4 to 5 big centres with private security (mercenary) companies working alongside the IDF
So Jake Woods resignation is of enormous consequence since part of the push to set it up was Trumps promises to Saudi Arabia that it would not let the people in Gaza starve.
Its outlined in here
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/26/gaza-humanitarian-foundation-aid-group-jake-wood-resigns
The UN have refused to work with it under its outlines of only 4/5 distribution points, and don't forget the facial recognition proposals to even let people in.
But in the meantime the GHF board have said "A spokesperson for the US state department said it remained supportive of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s plans to begin to deliver aid soon", so lets see if it does.
Thank you for clarifying your stance on aid, Oreo.
I repeat my question to David - is starving babies good propaganda, or is it a human need which inspires compassion in many people?
I am a long time supporter of UNICEF and am inclined to believe what they say.
Quote dragonfly46 Mon 26-May-25 12:44:43
Anniebach
Hamas release the hostages, this is what Israel wants, so release them .
Israel wants to eradicate the Palestinians from Gaza and the whole of Israel.
I don't think releasing the hostages now will stop the war.
Why do Hamas want to keep the hostages ?
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