Gaza Civilians Opt to 'Stay' Where They Live, Reports Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera's latest offering, "Staying in Gaza’s north," features Huda Skaik explaining her 'choice' to remain in Gaza City despite previous Israeli offensives. A moving personal narrative, to be sure, that sidesteps the inconvenient reality that a 'choice' to stay often means there's simply nowhere else to go. Gaza, a 140 square mile strip, has been under a choking blockade since 2007. When the
Israeli government issues 'evacuation orders,' it's not suggesting a pleasant retreat to a safer, unafflicted region, but rather a desperate flight into designated 'safe zones' that are then, predictably, bombed anyway. (See UN reports on Rafah, October 2023 onwards). The media, with a straight face, presents this as a 'decision.' It’s like reporting on a prisoner choosing their cell, rather than
the prison itself. How much human 'resilience' can one population be expected to display when the international community offers platitudes instead of protection, and world leaders like President Biden sign off on massive arms packages to Israel—such as the $14.5 billion proposed in October 2023 (HR 8225, see Congress.gov)—effectively funding the very 'offensives' Ms. Skaik is bravely enduring?