Gaza braces as Israeli war rhetoric escalates

Israel has called it a “phased escalation” into Gaza, but residents and academics say it’s been anything but.

After previously ruling out a ground assault on Gaza, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday instructed the defence force to “go all the way” – meaning a ground operation may be possible.

A former national security advisor to the prime minister, retired Major General Yaakov Amidror admits invading Gaza would be a possibility as Operation Protective Edge escalates, but only a last resort.

“In the future, if we do not find a solution through this exchange of fire, and Hamas does not back down, we will not have any other choice but to do the big operation which we don’t want to do today.

“It is a realistic objective to conquer the Gaza strip, but it would take months to clean it from all the terror of Hamas and others,” said Amidror.

Gaza residents brace for air strikes, ground invasion

In Gaza, 23-year-old Nalan Al Sarraj told Middle East Eye she was starting to feel the intensity of the strikes and feared for the safety of her friends and family.

“The airstrikes are so loud and strong that they shake our whole building, no one is at work today - most offices are closed,” she said.

“Hospitals are in need of blood donations. Most of the 40 injuries overnight are women and children.

“The situation is getting very scary, especially after the talk of a ground invasion.

 Young Gazan professional Iyad Altahrawi, 24, said Gazans were spending the night waiting for the morning.

“And in the morning we call friends and family around Gaza and check on them,” he said.

“This is an unjustified act of war - whenever something bad in Israel happens they blame it on Gaza.

“Now Gaza is their pass card to winning elections and getting people’s support,” he said.

“The situation is extremely severe this time - it’s not just war planes, it’s also the widespread operation on the West Bank and kidnapping kids,” he said.

'Gloves are off'

In a further escalation on Tuesday last night, Israel’s cabinet agreed to call up 40,000 reserve soldiers as Netanyahu remained defiant, continuing the rhetoric.

“The gloves are off. Hamas chose this escalation and will pay a heavy price,” he told a meeting of Israel’s security establishment in Tel Aviv today.

Overnight, more than 100 missiles and mortars were launched at Israel and the Israeli Army says it hit 50 targets in the strip including the strip’s so-called terror tunnels and a weapon storage facility.

Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum warned every Israeli home will need an Iron Dome missile battery, an indigenous radar-guided missile defence system fired from a truck-sized launcher that is designed to blow up incoming rockets in mid-air.

“This is not the time for quiet. We have a bank of various targets.”

Amridror said Israel is doing all it can to protect citizens and residents on both sides of the border, including calling some to warn them their house will be blown up and to get away.

“I don’t see any other military resistance in the world which did the same - calling people to tell them to leave the house, because we will destroy it. Some of them are part of the Hamas system. We are doing our best...but some citizens will suffer,” he warned.

Fear in Be’er Sheva

37-year-old Tal Rotem lives about 50 kilometres away from the border in the Israeli city of Be’er Sheva with his wife and four children, aged six, four, two and six months.

“Every time my son hears a siren, he pees himself. Every time I leave the house, he asks if I’m coming back alive.”

He told Middle East Eye that the past few days have been tough on the children, but the local adults are used to it.

“It’s horrible to say, but we’re used to the situation....it’s how it is, it happens a lot.

“It’s toughest on my oldest son.”

But he remains hopeful that things will calm down. “Nobody likes war,” he said.

“All we want is a peaceful life. Our problem is not with the Palestinian people. It’s with Hamas, the terrorist organisation – they want to destroy Israel.”

One couple in their 70s, Adele and Mike Rubin, who are originally from South Africa and Boston, said the situation was getting tense and many people were experiencing anxiety and trauma after ongoing rocket attacks, not just in the past weeks but for over a decade.

“We had a rocket siren about an hour ago.

“I was at the cafe this morning and the woman from the neighbouring shop was told she had to close her shop and go - many of the shops weren’t taking notice of the advice,” Adele told MEE.

 “I had a doctor’s appointment this morning, and my husband usually swims at a kibbutz nearby, but we got a notice that the pool is closed.”

Mike Rubin said he had been following the news to keep updated on the situation.

“People here are amazing, but people are also very stressed - many are on medication for trauma.

“When the sirens go off, I am frequently in the room with people who start shaking.”

At one Ashkelon shopping mall it was business as usual with a photograph circulating on Twitter saying homefront security would update people and close the mall if the situation between Israel and Gaza escalates.

Where will it end?

An international relations expert living in Gaza City told MEE the breaking point will come when Israel tries to assassinate one of the Hamas leaders.

The Gaza City resident said it’s been quieter there today but there’s real concern for the safety of those to the north and south of the strip.

Major General Amos Gilad, a director of policy and political-military affairs at the Ministry of Defence, said he believes Hamas is losing the battle, because it has lost the ability to take Israel by surprise.

But he doesn’t see any other option apart from an escalation.

“Hamas is determined to attack Israel and we are determined to defend ourselves and our citizens. Hamas will never accept Israel, and will do its best to terrorise and murder Israelis.”

And he said a ground assault is still a possibility, as is everything else.

“Usually if you want to shoot, shoot so all options are on the table. But I do not want to share details....my inclination is not to share any necessary details.’

“I don’t envy the Palestinian citizens right now. They have a regime which is not taking into account the problems of the citizens. They are using citizens as a shield, by deploying their launches within crowded areas.” said Amidror.

Believing in peace

Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has renewed his vision for a two-state solution and peace with Israel.

Writing an opinion piece today in Haaretz, ahead of the Israel Conference on peace in Tel Aviv, Abbas talks of the “painful and historic” decision to recognise the State of Israel 26 years ago. More than three-quarters of the land was conceded.

However he wrote rather than using the chance as an opportunity for peace, Israel has “chosen to use the peace process as a smoke screen for more colonization and oppression.”

He wrote that the “desire of a peace- and freedom-loving nation for independence can’t be eliminated by force”.

He has asked the international community to continue to hold the Israeli government to account and protect his “defenceless people” living under the terror of settlers.

“At a time when settlers continue to attack Palestinian homes, churches and mosques, when prisoners continue to be mistreated in illegal prisons, when settlements continue to expand, when more than half of our people remain in exile, and when the prospect of a negotiated two-state solution has been almost entirely eroded by the Israeli government, the brave Palestinian people continue to deliver a message of peace and justice to Israel and the rest of the world.”

In another opinion piece, ahead of today’s peace conference, US President Barack Obama urged Israelis and Palestinians to restrain themselves in order to put an end to acts of retribution.

“All parties must protect the innocent and act with reasonableness and restraint, not vengeance and retribution.”

Back in the city of Be’er Sheva, the damage has been minimal and to property rather than people so far.

“I’m not a politician so I can’t say when it’ll all end, but I just pray....we all just pray,” Rotem told MEE.