Yahoo: Israel vows no let-up, Hamas defiant, as Gaza toll tops 120

[jpyaks3]

if they were killed by hamas or their own actions  it is not by one side 

 

​is it my imagination hamas fire has killed Palestinians?

 

is it my imagination suicide  bombers choose to die?

 

Is it my imagination suspected collaborators and the uncooperative are killed by hamas?

 

Or do I need to add color?

Prove that Hamas killed Palestinians in this current conflict. Back your words up with something.

Also it sure as hell isn't my imagination that Israeli bombs have killed hundreds of civilians not Hamas so maybe you should address that at some point instead of pathetically deflecting. We have video of Israel bombing hospitals, schools, and random apartment buildings. We have video of Israeli snipers killing civilians, we have video and eyewitness reports of the four boys killed on the beach. On the other hand we have your useless speculation about Hamas killing Palestinians in this current conflict.

[No Excuses]

http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/07/youth-ptsd-catastrophe-is-brewing-in-gaza.html?mid=facebook_nymag

 

A Youth-PTSD Catastrophe Is Brewing in Gaza

 

It will be impossible to know the full extent of the problem until after the end of the fighting, but past research paints a grim picture. A 2004 studyconducted during the second intifada found that 32.7 percent of Gazan children between 10 and 19 exhibited signs of severe post-traumatic stress disorder, while 49.2 percent showed signs of moderate PTSD. A full 83.2 percent of all the children sampled had witnessed shooting, while 66.9 percent had seen injured or dead victims of the violence — and that was several rounds of violence ago. More recently, a “rapid psychosocial assessment” conducted by UNICEF shortly after a week of Hamas-Israel fighting ended in November of 2012, told a similarly grim story: 84 percent of children sampled over a wide swath of Gaza affected by the fighting “looked stunned or dazed”; while 77 percent reported crying more than usual.

Seita visited during this period. “I visited health centers and met dozens of mothers and children who were there for ordinary care like immunization and growth monitoring,” he said. “I asked all of them about their situation, particularly about their children. Without exaggeration, all mothers told me their children were different now: They don’t sleep well, don’t eat well, cry at night, hold tight with [their] mothers, night wetting, etc.”

 

[JMS]

Prove that Hamas killed Palestinians in this current conflict. Back your words up with something.

 

Come on jpyaks3,  we all know there are only two types of violence being conducted in the ME troubles...

Palestinians shooting at Israeli's and Palestinians shooting each other.

[jpyaks3]

Disgusting, Israel is reviving the practice of bulldozing homes of the families of people they suspect might be "militants". This is clear collective punishment and just a horrible practice.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/in-west-bank-israel-revives-home-demolitions-to-stop-hamas/2014/07/22/c8197236-1dd7-4874-a3eb-f9438065644f_story.html
 

aid Kawasmeh received the order from Israel’s military last week. His two-story house was to be demolished, and his large family had 48 hours to leave.

The reason: Kawasmeh’s son is a key suspect in the brutal kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers whose fates helped reignite the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The son, Marwan, has disappeared. So Israel has zeroed in on his family.

“I built this house, and I own it,” lamented Kawasmeh, seated on a chair in his empty house. Outside, the family’s possessions lay in boxes and shopping bags, or scattered on the ground. “Why do they want to punish me?”

....

The policy — different from Israel’s ongoing practice of destroying Palestinian structures it claims are unauthorized or built without valid permits — had been abandoned nine years ago because the military deemed it an ineffective deterrent against the Palestinian militancy.

Since the policy was reintroduced last month, the family house of a Palestinian charged in the shooting death of an Israeli civilian has been demolished. Now, the houses of Kawasmeh and two other suspects in the slayings of the Israeli youths are on the list. On behalf of the families, human rights lawyers have appealed to the Israeli military to stop the demolitions. They also plan to petition Israel’s highest court if necessary. But the activists said that they do not expect to succeed and that the houses will probably be demolished as early as this week.

 

Absolutely disgusting and indefensible.

[Burgold]

So Palestinians should never resist the Israeli occupation? How has that worked out in the West Bank for them?

Also why is it Hamas responsibility to stop firing rockets but not Israel's responsibility to stop breaking ceasefires, killing civilians, invading and bombing the Gaza strip?

So, how is ten years of almost non stop rocket attacks against Israel working out for the Palestinians?  Why is it Hamas' responsibility to stop firing rockets?  Is that a real question.  If they want to be taken seriously as a government it is essential that they show that they can control their nation.  Israel is a bad actor in this and what they are doing upsets me very much, but let's not pretend here.

 

If Mexico launched a hundred rockets into Texas even if they hit no one what response would you demand... what if Mexico declared it wasn't them but the drug gangs and so they can't stop it and you should expect several hundred or thousand more rockets?  Would you exonerate Mexico from all responsibility?

 

I'm very upset with Israel now.  This path is unacceptable. There must be a better way, but I will not pretend that either side is innocent or a victim here.

[jpyaks3]

So, how is ten years of almost non stop rocket attacks against Israel working out for the Palestinians?  Why is it Hamas' responsibility to stop firing rockets?  Is that a real question.  If they want to be taken seriously as a government it is essential that they show that they can control their nation.  Israel is a bad actor in this and what they are doing upsets me very much, but let's not pretend here.

 

If Mexico launched a hundred rockets into Texas even if they hit no one what response would you demand... what if Mexico declared it wasn't them but the drug gangs and so they can't stop it and you should expect several hundred or thousand more rockets?  Would you exonerate Mexico from all responsibility?

 

I'm very upset with Israel now.  This path is unacceptable. There must be a better way, but I will not pretend that either side is innocent or a victim here.

If we were occupying and blockading Mexico while stealing their land and occasionally bombing them then I think we would have a fair comparison and we invaded three times in the last decade killing thousands of civilians. Oh yeah we would have to wall them off and refuse to allow in macaroni, chocolate, cement, or books. That is the part that these analogies fail to capture. Israel is an occupying and colonizing force and the rockets are a response to that. We have already seen how Israel treats peace, they further colonize and steal more land and water like that it happening the West Bank so how exactly should the Palestinian people respond? 

The rockets are clearly a response to the occupation and the blockade so Israel has the ability to stop them without killing hundreds of civilians they simply have to cease colonizing and blockading Palestinian lands. Hell Hamas offered a 10 year truce but Israel rejected it without even talking, when you are seeing your kids and family members killed, your lands being stolen, you are humiliated daily by occupying forces, how exactly should you respond?

Look indiscriminate rocket fire isn't good but I am not going to pretend that I wouldn't go down that route if I had to face the horrors of the occupation daily and watched as my homeland was destroyed. Hamas isn't the good guys but they are a creation and a symptom of the occupation and the horrors that come along with it. Israeli colonization is the driving force behind this current conflict and if you look at the Palestine papers or the Prime Ministers communications its clear they don't want peace unless it involves taking even more land. Until that changes I don't think you will see the rockets stop (although they did stop during ceasefires in 2008 and 2012 before Israel broke those ceasefires), that is the reality as I see it.

Anti-colonial revolutions have always been violent, sometimes horrifyingly so, but they are resolved when the occupying or colonial nation relinquishes their colonial control. The ANC used to kill South Africans by "necklacing" people before the Afrikaners came to the table, the FLN bombed discos and nightclubs before the French came to the table, the Indian independence movement had the INA and were as much if not more of a driving force for removing the British as Gandhi was, the IRA had violent periods before Britain came to the table. Looking back in time there were dozens of anti-slavery revolts and independence movements across the new world all were incredibly violent. Hell all that Hamas has to do is look to the north where the only way that Israeli occupation of Lebanon ended was through a violent campaign by Hezbollah. The fact is that violence is often the only means to force the occupying or colonial powers to the table because the status quo and peace favor those in power and those with the power. The creation of the Israeli state was a violent one as anti-colonial zionists in Irgun and other militias bombed and attacked British colonial influence. Thats whats so tragic, we haven't learned from the past and it looks like we are doomed to repeat it in Israel.  

[twa]

 

Absolutely disgusting and indefensible.

 

 

rockets found stored in another UN school....ditto

[jpyaks3]

rockets found stored in another UN school....ditto

One of those is systemic policy and the other one has been found to have occurred twice although I guess neither is as disgusting as bombing schools and hospitals.  

[twa]

One of those is systemic policy and the other one has been found to have occurred twice although I guess neither is as disgusting as bombing schools and hospitals.  

 

quit firing from and hiding in them

[jpyaks3]

quit firing from and hiding in them

I am surprised you haven't blamed Hamas for those 4 kids getting shelled on the beach yet.

 

Apparently Israel has zero culpability in killing civilians, ever.

[twa]

I am surprised you haven't blamed Hamas for those 4 kids getting shelled on the beach yet.

 

Apparently Israel has zero culpability in killing civilians, ever.

 

Never said that, plenty of blood to go around.....and obviously more to come

[s0crates]

So people are characterizing Israel's actions as self defense?

I have a hard time with that when one side has tanks and the other side has rocks (so to speak).

[twa]

So people are characterizing Israel's actions as self defense?

I have a hard time with that when one side has tanks and the other side has rocks (so to speak).

 

go back to throwing rocks instead of missiles and suicide bombers and ya might have a point......oh and knock off using anti-tank missiles

 

 

 

rocks 

[s0crates]

Ok one side has tanks, supersonic jets, and nuclear weapons. The other side has guns and hand held rockets.

One side has one of the largest and most sophisticated militaries in the world, the other side has guerrilla tactics.

The "rocks and tanks" bit was a figure of speech, and I think you knew what I meant.

[twa]

Ok one side has tanks, supersonic jets, and nuclear weapons. The other side has guns and hand held rockets.

 

they obviously have more than hand held rockets

 

perhaps ya would prefer a fair fight between each countries named champion?.....I could get behind that ,but that ain't the way the world works

[s0crates]

they obviously have more than hand held rockets

perhaps ya would prefer a fair fight between each countries named champion?.....I could get behind that ,but that ain't the way the world works

I would prefer the aggressive and oppressive colonial power to stop using the lame self defense excuse to justify its crimes against humanity.

[twa]

I would prefer an aggressive and oppressive colonial power to stop using the lame self defense excuse for its crimes against humanity.

 

I would prefer those claiming to be victims to quit targeting civilians, using schools as arms depots and hiding behind women and kids.

 

add

 

http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Hamas-uses-hospital-facility-to-fire-on-IDF-army-shoots-back-368587

 

Hamas has used positions in the Al-Wafa hospital in Gaza to fire automatic weapons and anti-tank missiles on soldiers, and the IDF fired back in recent minutes, the army said Wednesday.

"The hospital was used for activating war rooms and command and control centers by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad," the army said.

The IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories has issued repeated and direct warnings to the hospital's manager, and to other Palestinians involved in running the hospital, the army said.

[jpyaks3]

I would prefer those claiming to be victims to quit targeting civilians, using schools as arms depots and hiding behind women and kids.

 

add

 

http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Hamas-uses-hospital-facility-to-fire-on-IDF-army-shoots-back-368587

 

Hamas has used positions in the Al-Wafa hospital in Gaza to fire automatic weapons and anti-tank missiles on soldiers, and the IDF fired back in recent minutes, the army said Wednesday.

"The hospital was used for activating war rooms and command and control centers by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad," the army said.

The IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories has issued repeated and direct warnings to the hospital's manager, and to other Palestinians involved in running the hospital, the army said.

The IDF has absolutely zero credibility about what they hit or in any of their statements really. The UNRWA reports are legitimate but the IDF saying "there were terrorists there we swear" should not be trusted unless its confirmed by an outside agent. 

I also assume you take everything Hamas says as pure and total fact too right? 

Somehow the IDF has an atrocious 3+ civilians killed to every suspected militant killed so I don't really think we should trust their aim or their reports. 

 

[Larry]

The IDF has absolutely zero credibility about what they hit or in any of their statements really. The UNRWA reports are legitimate but the IDF saying "there were terrorists there we swear" should not be trusted unless its confirmed by an outside agent. 

I also assume you take everything Hamas says as pure and total fact too right?

Pointing out that people who can tell you with absolute credibility as to who is doing what, in that war, are really kinda rare.

[jpyaks3]

The killing of Gazan civilians and children in Israeli airstrikes may amount to war crimes, the U.N.’s top human rights official warned Wednesday amid a backdrop of rising casualties and international efforts to forge a cease-fire.

Navi Pillay, the international body’s high commissioner for human rights, told an emergency debate on the crisis that there was “a strong possibility that international law had been violated” during the weeks-long conflict, citing the shelling of homes and hospitals in the coastal enclave. She also condemned the indiscriminate firing of rockets and mortars into Israel by Palestinian fighters.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/23/israel-gaza-hamasun.html

Pointing out that people who can tell you with absolute credibility as to who is doing what, in that war, are really kinda rare.

Well I would like to hear from it from a group who is an occupying force and doesn't have a direct interest in calling all Palestinians terrorists and trying to justify their actions like shelling kids on the beach, hospitals, centers for the disabled, and random apartment buildings. 

[EvilMonkeyBoy]

https://twitter.com/haaretzcom/status/492010680413716481

RT @haaretzcom: #Putin offers himself as mediator for Israel-Hamas cease-fire, in telephone conversation with Netanyahu http://htz.li/1pF5H1e

In the midst of the conflict, Putin is keeping his troll game strong.

[Larry]

If it works, I'll take it. 

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/24/us-mideast-gaza-idUSKBN0FT06I20140724?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

Kerry pushes for Gaza truce as death toll tops 700

 

The death toll in Gaza topped 700 on Thursday as Israeli tank fire before dawn killed 16 people in the Hamas-dominated coastal territory, including six members of the same family, Palestinian health officials said.

 

The continued violence defied world efforts to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas after 17 days of fighting, though some officials voiced optimism that a limited truce may be within reach.

 

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, flying back from Israel to Cairo for more talks with Egyptian mediators, reported some progress in ceasefire talks.

 

An Egyptian official said on Wednesday a humanitarian truce may go into effect by the weekend, in time for the Eid al-Fitr festival, Islam's biggest annual celebration that follows the fasting month of Ramadan.

 

 However, a senior U.S. official said this was a U.S. hope but a truce was by no means locked in.

 

 "It would not be accurate to say that we expect a ceasefire by the weekend," said the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We are continuing to work on it, but it is not set at this point."

[jpyaks3]

IDF just bombed a UN school serving as a shelter. 
 

A United Nations school converted to house families displaced by weeks of shelling in Gaza was hit by an Israeli airstrike Thursday, with "multiple" casualties being reported.

Robert Turner, director of operations in Gaza for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), confirmed the bombing, saying that no warning was given by Israel before the missile hit.

 

"There are certainly multiple dead and injured," he told Al Jazeera.

Reports of at least 30 killed. There was no warning either. 

More details
 

Robert Turner, the UNRWA director in Gaza, said there was no warning from the Israelis about the attack on the school in Beit Hanoun. 

He said they were in contact with Israeli forces about a window to evacuate the school before the attack happened. 

"This is a designated emergency shelter,” he said.

“The location was conveyed to the Israelis.

He said he had no information that there was military activity around the school.

"This was an installation we were managing, that monitored [to ensure] that our neutrality was maintained.

“We always call on all parties to ensure that civilians are not harmed."

 

[s0crates]

Anybody see this one yet? Aljazeera says Israel orchestrated the conflict.

http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/7/israel-hamas-palestiniansconflictunitedstatesinternationallaw.html

Israel, not Hamas, orchestrated the latest conflict in Gaza

In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the dominant discourse is that the Palestinian militants provoked the hostilities — while Israel, as President Barack Obama affirmed last week, is acting in legitimate self-defense. Many have attempted to problematize this narrative, for instance by arguing that Israel, as an occupying power, does not have a legitimate legal or moral claim to self-defense. Others have argued that rockets fired by Hamas do not constitute an existential crisis for Israel or its citizens and certainly did not warrant the killing of more than 500 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including women and children.

While these are all valid and important points, the broader narrative remains largely unchallenged: Hamas began firing rockets at Israel first, triggering Israel’s latest military incursion. This is not true. In fact, far from acting in self-defense, the crisis is the result of deliberate actions by Israel over the last few weeks — first to stir up anti-Arab sentiment among the Israeli population and then to provoke Hamas into open conflict.

Israeli provocations

The current escalation began with the abduction of three Israeli teenagers from settlements in the West Bank. The fact that the three were kidnapped from settlements is an important detail that is often passed over far too quickly or overlooked altogether. The settlements, what they represent and how the settlers interact with the Palestinian population form a critical part of the episode’s context.

After the kidnapping, for more than two weeks Israeli authorities put on a show of looking for the missing teens — the whole time whipping up anti-Arab sentiment, raising hopes of a recovery and marginalizing voices of dissent. When the abductees were found murdered, the Israeli public was outraged and demanded vengeance. Shortly after the funerals for the youths, another group of Israeli settlers beat and burned to death a 16-year-old Palestinian teen, Mohammed Abu Khdeir. This incident was followed by a brutal assault on Tariq Khdeir, a 15-year-old U.S. citizen and cousin of Mohammed’s by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

More at link.