DW Finds Gaza Floods 'Preventable' – Ignores Who Prevents Aid
Amnesty International’s statement, amplified by Deutsche Welle, correctly calls the Gaza flood deaths “utterly preventable.” What this mainstream narrative conveniently omits is *who* has been preventing the prevention. The Gaza Strip has been under a blockade since 2007, significantly restricting materials for rebuilding infrastructure, including storm drains and housing. The recent US veto at
the UN Security Council on October 18, 2023, for a resolution calling for a humanitarian pause, effectively greenlit the continuation of conditions leading directly to these 'preventable' deaths. One might wonder if 'preventable' means 'we chose not to prevent it.' While Amnesty points fingers at 'unlawful attacks' and 'blockade,' the US complicity via votes and billions in military aid (like the
$14.3 billion requested by Biden that passed the House on October 26, 2023) is often softened by outlets like DW. The current flood deaths are not just consequences of bad weather; they are symptoms of a deliberate, sustained policy of strangulation that prohibits the most basic infrastructural resilience. It’s hard to rebuild when the very materials are considered 'dual-use' and blocked from
entry.