Israel's nature and future will be defined by what it did in Gaza
"What I Saw in Gaza Will Define Our Future"
An Israeli soldier revealed the extent of the massive destruction caused by the army in the Gaza Strip, saying that “Israel will not be able to hide what it did.”
Describing the destruction in Gaza, he wrote: “In any direction you look, you see piles of reinforcing steel, sand, concrete blocks, empty plastic water bottles and dust. There is a pile of stones that may belong to an official institution building, and there are other piles in an area that used to be a residential neighborhood, and so on.”
He added: “Amidst the rubble, there is a building that is still standing. I sent a picture of it to my sister via WhatsApp, and she asked me: Why didn’t they demolish this building?” and “Why the hell did I go there?”
“It doesn’t matter why I’m here, I’m not the point, and this is not an accusation against the IDF. These pictures and facts should be at the forefront of editorials, at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, at universities in the United States, and at the UN Security Council,” he continued. “The important thing is to reveal to the Israelis what’s happening, and to lift the lid on it, so that people don’t later say they didn’t know.”
“With these words, I was explaining what was happening in Gaza when my friends were wondering why I went there,” he added.
The Israeli soldier noted that “there’s not much to say about the destruction, it’s obvious everywhere.”
Regarding his observations from a drone observation point, the soldier said: “Near what used to be a residential neighborhood, I saw a planted garden surrounded by a broken wall and a destroyed house. It looked like it was an orchard, maybe an olive grove, and now it’s olive harvest season. There was some movement, I saw someone climbing a pile of rubble, collecting wood on the sidewalk.” ** The destruction covers the Netzarim, Philadelphi and Kissufim axes
He continued: “The closer you get to the logistical routes (the Netzarim, Kissufim and Philadelphi axes) the fewer buildings you see standing, and the extent of the destruction is enormous.”
The soldier stressed: “This is what Israelis need to know: This will not be erased in the next hundred years. No matter how hard Israel tries to hide it, to cover it up, the destruction in Gaza will define our lives and the lives of our children from now on (..) It is a testimony to the rampage.”
Israel is fighting in Gaza thanks to American weapons
Regarding American weapons support for Israel, he said: “If a brigade commander had to choose between the lives of the soldiers under his command or the destruction of the area, an F-15 loaded with bombs (made by the American company Boeing) would be on its way to the runway at the Nevatim Air Force Base (southern Israel), while an artillery battery (American) would be lined up on standby, and therefore he would not risk anyone.”
He added: “You find yourself staring for hours from a distance at a civilian dragging a suitcase for several kilometers on Salah al-Din Road, and the scorching sun is beating down on him. You try to understand: Is it an explosive device? Or is it a bag carrying what remains of his life and memories?”
Also from his observations in Gaza, the soldier said that “all the roofs have holes from the bombing, and on each of them are blue barrels to collect rainwater, and if you see a barrel on the road, you must notify the control center and mark it as a potential explosive device.”
By what force does the life of Palestinians in Gaza continue
Wondering by what force does life continue in Gaza, the soldier said: “I used to see a Palestinian baking bread, and another sleeping next to him, how can a person wake up in the midst of such terror, and find the strength to get up and search for food and try to stay alive and block the heat, flies, bad smell, and dirty water?”
The Palestinians in Gaza are suffering from a policy of starvation due to a shortage of food supplies because of Israel’s obstruction of the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip, according to the confirmations of many international and UN institutions.
He also described the situation of Israeli soldiers in Gaza, saying: “All of us, from those working in the control room to the last soldiers, it is clear that the Israeli government does not know anything about what is happening with us here. There are no goals that we can advance towards, and we do not have the political ability to retreat.”
Regarding the actual fighting, he said: “With the exception of Jabalia (northern Gaza), there is almost no fighting, only on the outskirts of the camps, and even this fighting is partial, for fear of the presence of prisoners there.”
As part of what is known as the “generals’ plan,” the Israeli army began a large-scale ground operation in the northern Gaza governorate on October 5, claiming to “prevent Hamas from regaining its strength there,” and Hebrew media later revealed that it seeks to separate the north from the Gaza governorate, and prevent the return of the displaced.
He pointed out that “the problem is diplomatic, not military or tactical, and therefore it is clear to everyone that we (reserve soldiers) will be called up again for another round, and to carry out the same missions in Gaza.”
He asked: “Where is the dividing line between understanding complexity and blind obedience? When do we gain the right to refuse to participate in a war crime?” “When will the mainstream in Israel wake up, when will a leader emerge who will explain to the citizens the terrible chaos we are living in, and who will be the first to wear a kippah on his head to call me a traitor?”
The Israeli soldier concluded by saying: “Before The Hague (International Criminal Court), before American universities, before the condemnation in the Security Council, the issue is primarily an internal matter for us, and for two million Palestinians.”
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