Israel wants to raze the Gaza Strip to the ground and possess it

The security minister of the Israeli government, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has demanded the resettlement of the Gaza Strip during a party-like atmosphere on its border with Israel at a time when there was renewed Israeli bombing of northern Gaza which left hundreds of Palestinians dead.

The security minister has made it clear that they want to possess the Gaza Strip as far as I can tell. He said: "We will encourage voluntary transfer of all Gazan citizen. We will offer them the opportunity to move to other countries because the land belongs to us."

I don't know whether he's speaking on behalf of the Israeli government or not. He may well be but I suspect that a government spokesperson will say that he isn't. But he is in my view. Because the 70% destruction of infrastructure in the Gaza Strip by Israeli bombing together with the 42,000 men, women and children killed and we don't know how many animals, is compelling evidence to believe that what the security minister says is true.

The IDF is making the Gaza Strip uninhabitable and in doing so they want the residents there to leave and find other homes so that the Israel government can possess the Gaza Strip and call it a part of Israel.

Having read this news, I did some research on the history and the creation of the Gaza Strip and its bearing on today's conflict. It's a very complex story. A story of mismanagement by the West I would argue and what is now a complete mess of an arrangement which can never work and will never work. Although, I confess I'm being very pessimistic but perhaps I'm being realistic.

Below is the history of the Gaza Strip. I think it is useful to read it very carefully because it explains a lot of what is happening today.

The history of the Gaza Strip is deeply intertwined with the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the legacies of colonialism and geopolitical strife in the Middle East. Its modern creation and development have made it a central flashpoint in this long-standing conflict. Below is a summary of its historical context and relevance to today's situation.

1. Pre-1948: Ottoman and British Rule

• Ottoman Empire (1517-1917): The Gaza Strip, part of historic Palestine, was under the control of the Ottoman Empire for centuries. It was a modestly populated area, primarily consisting of Arab Muslim communities, with smaller Christian and Jewish populations.
• British Mandate (1917-1948): After World War I, the Ottoman Empire collapsed, and Britain took control of Palestine under a League of Nations mandate. During the British Mandate, tensions between Jewish and Arab communities grew, exacerbated by Jewish immigration to the area due to Zionist movements and European anti-Semitism, particularly after the rise of the Nazis in the 1930s.

2. Creation of Israel and the 1948 Arab-Israeli War

• 1947 UN Partition Plan: In response to growing violence and competing claims over Palestine, the UN proposed a partition plan that would divide the land into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international control. The Jewish community accepted the plan, but Arab states and Palestinian leaders rejected it.
• 1948 War and Nakba: After the creation of Israel in 1948, surrounding Arab nations (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and others) declared war. The conflict led to the displacement of around 700,000 Palestinians, an event known as the "Nakba" (catastrophe), many of whom fled to the Gaza Strip, then occupied by Egypt. By the war’s end, Israel had expanded beyond the UN’s partition boundaries, controlling 78% of historic Palestine, while Egypt held the Gaza Strip and Jordan took the West Bank.
• Egyptian Control (1948-1967): After the 1948 war, Gaza was controlled by Egypt, but it was not annexed. Gaza became a narrow, densely populated enclave, primarily housing refugees from the war. Egypt did little to develop the area, and it remained impoverished, with no formal Palestinian government established there.

3. 1967 Six-Day War and Israeli Occupation

• 1967 War: Israel launched a preemptive strike against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan in what became known as the Six-Day War. Israel captured Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights.
• Israeli Occupation: Following the war, Israel began occupying the Gaza Strip, instituting military rule over the Palestinian population. Israeli settlements were established in Gaza, and the Strip became a zone of intense conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian resistance.

4. Oslo Accords and Palestinian Self-Rule (1990s)

• Oslo Accords (1993): The peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) led to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA), which gained limited self-rule over parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The agreement envisioned a two-state solution, though key issues (borders, refugees, status of Jerusalem) were left unresolved.
• Division Between Hamas and Fatah: In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew its settlements and military forces from Gaza, although it retained control over Gaza's borders, airspace, and waters. In 2006, Hamas, an Islamist militant group, won Palestinian parliamentary elections. A year later, a violent split between Hamas and Fatah (the ruling party in the West Bank) left Hamas in control of Gaza, while Fatah maintained authority over the West Bank.

5. Gaza Under Siege: Blockade and Conflict (2007–Present)

• Israeli-Egyptian Blockade: After Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade on the Strip, severely restricting the movement of goods and people in and out of the area. The blockade has been devastating for Gaza's economy and living conditions, resulting in widespread poverty, high unemployment, and shortages of basic necessities.
• Hamas-Israel Conflict: Since Hamas's rise to power, Gaza has been at the center of recurring wars between Israel and Hamas, often sparked by rocket fire from Gaza and Israeli airstrikes. Major conflicts occurred in 2008-09, 2012, 2014, and most recently in 2021. These conflicts have left thousands dead, mostly Palestinians, and Gaza’s infrastructure severely damaged.
• Humanitarian Crisis: The population of Gaza has continued to grow, with over 2 million people living in a territory about 140 square miles. Over 70% of Gaza's residents are refugees or descendants of refugees from 1948. The blockade, wars, and Hamas' rule have contributed to a dire humanitarian crisis, with the UN frequently warning that Gaza is becoming unlivable.

6. Relevance to Today:

• Ongoing Conflict: The Gaza Strip remains a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The blockade, combined with the militant activities of Hamas, leads to regular flare-ups of violence, resulting in civilian casualties on both sides. The area has become symbolic of the broader struggle between Israelis and Palestinians, with Gaza often seen as emblematic of Palestinian suffering and resistance.
• Geopolitical Significance: Gaza's situation is a source of broader regional tension. Hamas is supported by Iran and other actors opposed to Israel, while Israel’s policies are backed by the U.S. and other Western nations. Egypt also plays a key role, controlling Gaza’s southern border and often mediating between Hamas and Israel.
• Humanitarian Concerns: Gaza’s economy is on the verge of collapse, with inadequate access to clean water, electricity, healthcare, and education. International organizations continue to call for an end to the blockade and for more aid to be allowed into the area.
• Peace Efforts: The split between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority complicates any peace negotiations, as Israel, the U.S., and others consider Hamas a terrorist organization. This fragmentation in Palestinian leadership, coupled with Israel's security concerns and expanding settlements in the West Bank, has stalled peace efforts for a two-state solution.

Key Points Today:

• Gaza remains a densely populated area under blockade.
• Hamas controls Gaza, leading to periodic escalations in violence with Israel.
• The humanitarian situation is dire, with international calls for improved living conditions and peace.
• The broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including issues of borders, refugees, and Jerusalem, continues to fuel tensions.

In conclusion, Gaza's creation, its history of occupation, and its role as a site of conflict are central to understanding the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The situation in Gaza exemplifies many of the broader regional and political dynamics that make the conflict so difficult to resolve.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also, sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. And, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable. Finally, (!) I often express an OPINION on the news. Please share yours in a comment.