English
• Help the world
The story that begins tells the hopeless situation of the Palestinian Etemad Assaf, mother of two small children and one about to give birth in terrible conditions, a situation that, indisputably, requires the help of the world. The story ends with accounts of the symmetrical suffering of the Israeli Einav Zangauker, mother of three grown children, the first born of whom is taken hostage by the Palestinians, a grieving woman who has lost faith in her own government and is asking for the world's help. Both suffer, but at the border between them, hatred manifests itself, which perpetuates their suffering.
And the hatred is justified.
Can the world help?
Hunger
Etemad Assaf, 29, sits on a stone in front of her makeshift tent in Deir el-Balah (a Palestinian town 14 kilometers south of Gaza), washing clothes by hand; she has two small children and is eight months pregnant with the third.
Etemad says she is not able to provide her children with even the basics. "We can barely afford food, and sometimes there is no food to eat at all," says Etemad. (1)
What is Etemad's connection to Hamas?
We cannot know.
He doesn't wear a uniform.
Where is her husband, what does he do?
We do not know.
It is obvious that Etemad and her family need the compassion of the whole world, they need the humanitarian aid sent to the Palestinian people.
It is equally obvious that the humanitarian aid also feeds the Hamas fighters, which arouses the hatred of the relatives of the Israeli hostages.
Aid blocked by relatives of hostages
Hundreds of protesters blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza at Kerem Shalom (the border crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip), so that only nine out of 114 trucks passed, according to the UN.
Protesters are demanding that no aid enter Gaza through Israel as long as the hostages remain in captivity. "It's an absolute shame, it's like October 7 never happened," said one protester, continuing: "I mean, it's always crazy to help the enemy, but it's especially crazy to do it today, at a day after they killed 24 of our soldiers and as they prepare to continue firing into our cities - even as they hold over 130 of our own hostages."
The protest, attended by families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, underscored the government's leeway as it faces mounting international pressure to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, along with domestic pressure to secure the release of the hostages. (2)
On May 3, Human Rights Watch accused Israel of blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza in violation of International Court of Justice orders. (3)
Israel had closed two crossings, claiming it was necessary for security reasons. The organization states that even before the closure, the amount of aid was insufficient.
The Israeli authorities claim that they intervene in order to prevent the introduction of materials with militant potential.
Relatives of hostages turn against Netanyahu
Natalie Zangauker (19 years old), the sister of the hostage Matan Zangauker (24 years old), was officially questioned by the police ("a shame and a descent into depths that have not been seen before in our country", according to an opinion posted on "X "), after participating in a demonstration that blocked a highway in Tel Aviv, demanding the dissolution of the government, new elections and an agreement to release the hostages held in Gaza for more than 200 days. (4)
"No [parliamentary] seat in the world is worth the life of my son or the life of 132 hostages in Gaza," said Natalia's mother and the Matan hostage, Einav Zangauker, in a speech addressed to thousands of people a few days before gathered in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square (the square near the headquarters of the Israel Defense Forces, which got its name since the relatives of the hostages started camping there).
Einav Zangauker asked the government to "Declare an end to the fighting if it leads to the recovery of the hostages!"
The call for an end to the fighting is a recent development at the Hostage Square rallies, where speakers have generally not called for that specific outcome, which many Israelis oppose because they want to see Hamas's leadership removed from Gaza.
"Stop clinging to your seat," says Einav Zangauker, addressing Netanyahu. (5)
"You failed on October 7 in every possible way ... you are an obstacle to a hostage deal," she declared. (6)
Al Jazeera reported on January 22, 2024 that Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a proposal by Hamas to end the war and release all hostages, in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of all Palestinian prisoners and acceptance of the rule of the armed group Hamas in Gaza. (7)
He was quoted as saying: "If we accept this, we will not be able to guarantee the safety of our citizens. We will not be able to bring the hostages home safely, and the next October 7 will only be a matter of time."
Einav Zangauker says: "I want to hug my son again. I want to cook for him. I want to talk to him [n.n. - cries]. I miss him, I need the world to know that I miss my son. And if the world hear me, I need the world's help". (8)
Etemad Assaf also needs the help of the world.
Notes
(1) According to an article published by Al-Jazeera on March 8, 2024
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/3/8/a-suffering-i-would-not-wish-on-any-woman-women-of-gaza
(2) According to the articles published by "The Times of Israel", respectively on January 24 and 31, 2024
https://www.timesofisrael.com/30-protesters-detained-amid-clashes-at-kerem-shalom-over-aid-to-gaza/(3) https://apnews.com/live/cease-fire-israel-hamas-war-rafah-updates?utm_id=Taboola&utm_medium=articlePage&utm_source=RecoReel
(4) According to the article published by "The Times of Israel" on May 2, 2024 and respectively the opinion published on "X".
(5) According to the article published by "The Times of Israel" on April 27, 2024
(6) According to the article published by "The Times of Israel" on April 7, 2024
(7) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/22/netanyahu-rejects-hamas-deal-to-end-war-release-captives
(8) Transcript according to the clip broadcast on February 18, 2024
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