Alaa Salamah, a Palestinian journalist in Gaza, spoke to Arthur Townend
Anger over the flooding of tents in Gaza
Arthur Townend
Thursday 28 November 2024
SOCIALIST WORKER Issue 2933
Amid the death, destruction and destitution in Gaza, it’s the buzzing of Israeli drones that keeps Alaa Salamah awake at night. “How can you sleep with such a sound,” she told Socialist Worker.
They hover in the skies to intimidate Palestinians and assassinate civilians, including children, after air strikes.
Alaa, a Palestinian journalist in Gaza, says Israel is “intentionally destroying Gaza to make it unliveable”. “The majority of people live in tents with scarce resources and the whole population is pushed into a tenth of the space we once had,” she explained.
“The tents have become fragile and old now that this war has extended for more than a year.”
Alaa explained that “winter is a real problem” as “there are not enough tents that can bear the changing temperatures”. “Waterproof tents are too limited and if you find them, they are too pricey,” she said.
“And, because there is no space, people have to put their tents near the seashore. So hundreds of tents have become unfit to live in and are unprotected from the rain and strong winds.”
Just this week, rainstorms flooded tents of displaced people on the beach in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. Children desperately tried to salvage canned food floating in rubbish-filled water.
Alaa added, “People just survive and try to have hope for the future. People want to try to provide food, water and security for their families—the basic necessities that people are deprived of.
“People are now just preoccupied with ending this bloodshed and ending this tragic humanitarian crisis that only deepens as Israel’s war continues.”
Israel agreed to a limited ceasefire in Lebanon, which it invaded on 1 October, on Monday. “People here support the ceasefire agreement to stop Israel’s war and of course people hope that Gaza will be the next,” she said.
“But here, the situation is different—a ceasefire does not fit the plans Israel’s generals have for Gaza’s future.”
Israeli forces have encircled cities in northern Gaza. Sections of prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s government want to expel Palestinians from Gaza and seize the land permanently.
The US has opposed Israel “transferring” Palestinians to Arab states such as Egypt, fearing it would destabilise those regimes. The Israeli military and intelligence establishments don’t want to manage a permanent occupation.
But Netanyahu has been emboldened by Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election and is under pressure from far right ministers.
The lack of a realisable “end game” drives divisions inside Israel and drives its genocidal logic. And, whatever talk there is of a ceasefire, the West will back its watchdog state in the Middle East.
Why Zionist settler colonialism is in crisis
Joe Biden gave the green light on Wednesday to over £500 million in arms sales, while claiming he was pushing for a ceasefire.
The package includes hundreds of small-diameter bombs and thousands of joint direct attack munition kits (JDAM). JDAMs convert regular “dumb bombs” into precision-guided weapons.
Alaa said, “I think the West has failed—it failed the test when it came to human rights and international law. Many people here are now sure of the hypocrisy of the West’s political systems.
“It could not force Israel to stop the killing nor has it put any sanctions on Israel, but it has in the case of Russia.”
But Alaa added that ordinary people have “shown great support and solidarity with us” and “uncovered the hypocrisy of governments and politicians”.
“We appreciate these communities taking a stand and their endeavours have shed a light on the injustices and atrocious acts against Palestinians. Even through the increasing attacks against activists, people speak out.”
Israel is ramping up its genocide in Gaza with the support of the United States and Britain. It’s vital to keep building pressure, through mass and militant mobilisations, to stop all arms sales to Israel.
Thursday 28 November 2024
SOCIALIST WORKER Issue 2933
Amid the death, destruction and destitution in Gaza, it’s the buzzing of Israeli drones that keeps Alaa Salamah awake at night. “How can you sleep with such a sound,” she told Socialist Worker.
They hover in the skies to intimidate Palestinians and assassinate civilians, including children, after air strikes.
Alaa, a Palestinian journalist in Gaza, says Israel is “intentionally destroying Gaza to make it unliveable”. “The majority of people live in tents with scarce resources and the whole population is pushed into a tenth of the space we once had,” she explained.
“The tents have become fragile and old now that this war has extended for more than a year.”
Alaa explained that “winter is a real problem” as “there are not enough tents that can bear the changing temperatures”. “Waterproof tents are too limited and if you find them, they are too pricey,” she said.
“And, because there is no space, people have to put their tents near the seashore. So hundreds of tents have become unfit to live in and are unprotected from the rain and strong winds.”
Just this week, rainstorms flooded tents of displaced people on the beach in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. Children desperately tried to salvage canned food floating in rubbish-filled water.
Alaa added, “People just survive and try to have hope for the future. People want to try to provide food, water and security for their families—the basic necessities that people are deprived of.
“People are now just preoccupied with ending this bloodshed and ending this tragic humanitarian crisis that only deepens as Israel’s war continues.”
Israel agreed to a limited ceasefire in Lebanon, which it invaded on 1 October, on Monday. “People here support the ceasefire agreement to stop Israel’s war and of course people hope that Gaza will be the next,” she said.
“But here, the situation is different—a ceasefire does not fit the plans Israel’s generals have for Gaza’s future.”
Israeli forces have encircled cities in northern Gaza. Sections of prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s government want to expel Palestinians from Gaza and seize the land permanently.
The US has opposed Israel “transferring” Palestinians to Arab states such as Egypt, fearing it would destabilise those regimes. The Israeli military and intelligence establishments don’t want to manage a permanent occupation.
But Netanyahu has been emboldened by Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election and is under pressure from far right ministers.
The lack of a realisable “end game” drives divisions inside Israel and drives its genocidal logic. And, whatever talk there is of a ceasefire, the West will back its watchdog state in the Middle East.
Why Zionist settler colonialism is in crisis
Joe Biden gave the green light on Wednesday to over £500 million in arms sales, while claiming he was pushing for a ceasefire.
The package includes hundreds of small-diameter bombs and thousands of joint direct attack munition kits (JDAM). JDAMs convert regular “dumb bombs” into precision-guided weapons.
Alaa said, “I think the West has failed—it failed the test when it came to human rights and international law. Many people here are now sure of the hypocrisy of the West’s political systems.
“It could not force Israel to stop the killing nor has it put any sanctions on Israel, but it has in the case of Russia.”
But Alaa added that ordinary people have “shown great support and solidarity with us” and “uncovered the hypocrisy of governments and politicians”.
“We appreciate these communities taking a stand and their endeavours have shed a light on the injustices and atrocious acts against Palestinians. Even through the increasing attacks against activists, people speak out.”
Israel is ramping up its genocide in Gaza with the support of the United States and Britain. It’s vital to keep building pressure, through mass and militant mobilisations, to stop all arms sales to Israel.
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