"Israel Doesn't Want Peace - They Want Gaza"

Map of proposed Gaza settlement presented at Israel's Nachala conference in January 2024

Israel’s security cabinet has voted to expand its ground offensive in Gaza and seize the territory from Hamas, displace civilians southward, and take control of aid routes. The plan follows a broken, US-backed ceasefire and comes as Israel holds about a third of Gaza after operations resumed in March.

According to Israel, Hamas has a large tunnel network under Gaza’s streets; as the elected government of Gaza, the party is obviously part of the fabric of daily life. But just weeks ago, Israeli security sources claimed the 18-month bombardment of Gaza had only destroyed 25% of the alleged tunnel network - any 'takeover' of the Strip by Israel, logically, would involve years of guerrilla war.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, ahead of Donald Trump’s visit next week, that the aim was to defeat Hamas and secure hostage releases - but only days ago stated Israel would not end the war "even for a hostage deal", and planned to take over and remain in Gaza 'indefinitely'.

Incidentally, it has also 'been decided' that Israel won't bother having an investigation into how IDF troops killed potentially hundreds of Israeli citizens on 7 October.

"We're going to need a bigger carpet"

Killing more Palestinians, however, is clearly still on the agenda. TV broadcaster Elad Barashi, just days ago and shortly after Belsen Memorial day, called for another 'Shoah' in Gaza.

Posting on social media, Barashi - who works for Netanyahu's 'favoured' Channel 14, said:

"Let there be a Shoah (Holocaust) in Gaza"

"I can't understand the people here in the State of Israel who don't want to fill Gaza with gas showers... or train cars... and finish this story! Let there be a Holocaust in Gaza"

 "Who is the fool who says there are ‘innocents’ in Gaza? Who is the despicable scoundrel who wants to let them flee to Arab countries or Europe freely?"

Security Minister Zeev Elkin, conversely, said a ceasefire and negotiations remain on the table - which is where they will remain, it seems, as preparations continue for a full-scale occupation.

Far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich has indicated plans to continue laying waste to what is left of Gaza:

“Gaza will be totally destroyed” he said.

The population, he continued, will be 'forced' to leave their home:

“They will be totally despairing, understanding that there is no hope and nothing to look for in Gaza, and will be looking for relocation” he said.

THE israeli government hasn't publicly said the 'world's most moral army' should raze Gaza to the ground in preparation for Israeli occupation - but there can surely be no doubt that is exactly what they mean to do...

The IDF has called up tens of thousands of reservists and moved more tanks to the border; at the same time, Gaza faces starvation under Israel's continued refusal to allow anything BUT weaponry and soldiers to cross it...

The blockade has left Gaza’s 2.3 million people short of food, water and medicine. UNICEF reports over 9,000 children have been treated for acute malnutrition this year, and warns that at least 3,500 children are at imminent danger of death from starvation amid total aid cuts since early March.

Britain, France and Germany have urged Israel to meet international law by allowing safe aid access - their actions, however, have not gone beyond 'urging', and threaten no consequences of any kind if Israel continues the blockade.

British polls show 56 per cent back an arms embargo - a significantly larger percentage than Keir Starmer's current popularity ratings - yet he and his government continue to refuse any further sanctions.

Juliette McIntyre, a legal scholar, said in The Hague that Israel’s siege threatens mass harm to civilians and could breach the laws of war. Using starvation as a weapon is in breach of the Geneva Convention and constitutes a war crime - as does 'the forcible acquisition of land by force', incidentally.

Israel appears not to care in the least - why would it, after all? It has continually breached international law with impunity since the 1960s. There have been zero consequences, in terms of action or sanctions from 'the west'. The only retribution has come from countries in the Middle East.

Labour MP Zarah Sultana said on X: “Alongside France and Germany, the UK urgently calls for a return to the ceasefire”.

What the right view as a necessary security measure, far-right Israeli ministers describe as a chance to occupy Gaza permanently. Critics warn this leaves no path to peace or Palestinian self-rule - lack of which is Israel's frequently stated ambition; the total lack of a Palestinian state.

But it won't work. Palestinians who have spent generations of war fighting for their land are not going to meekly abandon it - all Israel can hope for is more decades of war, where its population will be at constant risk of attack. Britain’s past role in Iraq and Afghanistan shows how hard it is to govern hostile territory after military victory. A lasting solution will need more than tanks.