Siding With Arabs in Khartoum Just Got Their Land Destroyed

 Nadene Goldfoot                                               

     Before war and after war;  of course, when Palestinians took the opposing side and started a war, they have to expect retaliation, and here, buildings are very easy to destroy.  Siding with others in the Khartoum Conference only destroyed them.  

                                                         BLOCKADE

Background:   Longstanding restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza have undermined the living conditions of now over two million Palestinian residents. Many of the current restrictions, originally imposed by the Israeli authorities in the early 1990s, were intensified after June 2007, following the Hamas takeover of Gaza when the Israeli authorities imposed a blockade. Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip primarily as a security and military measure to restrict Hamas—which won the 2006 legislative elections and seized full military control of Gaza in June 2007—from acquiring weapons, explosives, and materials used to build rockets and tunnels targeting Israeli civilians.   While recently there has been some easing in importation restrictions, they continue to reduce access to livelihoods, essential services and housing, disrupt family life, and undermine people’s hopes for a secure and prosperous future. The situation has been compounded by the restrictions imposed by the Egyptian authorities at Rafah crossing. And what were IDF worried about in Palestinians imports?  The Israeli military and customs authorities have claimed and intercepted instances of bullets and ammunition hidden inside humanitarian aid sacks and packages, including bags labeled for rice and food aid.  Rice and Food Sacks: The Israeli military displayed up to 50 rice and humanitarian food sacks that investigators stated were filled with bullets used for weapons like AK-47s, Dragunov sniper rifles, and MPK machine guns.  Insulation Material and Household Products: The Israeli Tax Authority and customs inspectors at Ashdod Port intercepted 7,000 9mm caliber bullets hidden inside rolls of insulation material within a container of household goods.  Mortar Shells in Aid Bags: Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported discovering over 100 mortar shells hidden inside aid and blanket packages associated with relief distributions.  

January 1-October 6, 2023: In January 2023, the Israeli authorities increased the number of exit permits for Gaza residents and allowed more exists compared with any time since the early 2000s. More people also crossed into Egypt. More goods entered and exited through the Israeli and Egyptian borders. Despite these improvements, the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza remained highly restricted.

The United States and Israel launched massive joint military strikes against Iran starting on February 28, 2026, following failed nuclear negotiations in Geneva.  Joint Strikes: U.S. forces (including B-2 stealth bombers using 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs) and Israeli fighter jets struck deep into Iranian territory.  Targets: Major strikes hit Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile facilities (including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan), command centers, air defenses, and leadership compounds.  Leadership Impact: The strikes resulted in the reported death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials.  Retaliation: Iran and its regional proxies responded with widespread ballistic missile and drone counterstrikes targeting Israel, U.S. military installations, and Gulf Arab infrastructure.  Yes, the U.S. and Israel continued pounding targets across Iran in the days and months following February 28, 2026, as part of an ongoing joint military campaign (such as Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury)  March 1, 2026: U.S. and Israeli forces continued heavy airstrikes across Iran, targeting ballistic missile sites and naval vessels.  March 18, 2026: Israeli and allied strikes hit Iran's South Pars gas field and the Asaluyeh processing hub, sparking further regional escalation.  Joint operations (including continued U.S. and Israeli strikes on underground missile launchers, military infrastructure, and nuclear targets) persisted over subsequent months, alongside repeated cycles of retaliatory strikes, a brief April ceasefire, a collapsed June memorandum of understanding, and ongoing maritime clashes in the Strait of Hormuz through October 2026. 

Before October 7, 2023, roughly 150,000 to 200,000 West Bank Palestinians and over 18,000 Gazans crossed the border daily to work for Israelis in construction, agriculture, and services, earning significantly higher wages than local West Bank or Gaza rates.  They had worked in their homes before attacking them  in the next days in a crazed, drugged manner.   

Security:  Up to October 7, 2023, the security architecture protecting Israeli communities (kibbutzim, moshavim, and towns) along the Gaza border relied on a combination of physical infrastructure, high-tech surveillance, military deployment, and local civilian units. Internal military and civil investigations later revealed that these systems formed part of a flawed strategic "conception" that assumed Hamas was deterred and incapable of a massive, coordinated invasion.  Physical and Technological Barriers

• The "Iron Wall": Completed in December 2021 at a cost of roughly $1.1 to $1.25 billion, the 40-mile (65-kilometer) barrier featured a 20-foot (6-meter) above-ground "smart fence" equipped with remote-controlled machine guns, cameras, and radar systems.  Underground Concrete Wall: Deep underground concrete barriers and seismic/underground sensors were built to detect and block cross-border attack tunnels. Female IDF field intelligence observers (tatzpitaniyot) and electronic sensors monitored live feeds from the border.   and the big mistake:  Troop Redirection: Days before the attack, military intelligence assessments assumed Hamas sought calm, leading the IDF to divert forces and commando units away from the Gaza perimeter toward the West Bank (Judea and Samaria rising for the kill).  
  
• My input;  people living along the border needed their own German shepherd dogs to bark and howl when things go bad.  They don't assume a thing.  They could have given early warning.  I had a German shepherd female and had brought her to Israel with me.  She died and is buried in the nearby forest of Safed.  She was so protective.  
  
       Kibbutz Nir Oz along border after October 7th attack of one home

On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorists launched a surprise attack on Israel, massacring civilians, babies, children, mothers, even raping men as well as women,  beyond belief, attacking military bases, and abducting civilians and soldiers into Gaza. Not only was the attack a surprise, but the way they slaughtered people was beyond belief-inhumane-shocking;  something no one can ever ever forget or forgive.  

Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC) in Beersheba treated 673 casualties within the first 24 hours of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, marking a massive emergency response during peak arrivals of 83 patients per hour.October 7, 2023 at Soroka Hospital

• Casualty Volume: 673 patients arrived within 24 hours.
• Peak Rate: 83 arrivals per hour at its peak.
• Patient Demographics: Mean age of 29.6 years; 77.3% male.
• Injury Types: 42.8% gunshot wounds, 37.0% shrapnel wounds, and 15.2% major trauma (Injury Severity Score > 15).
• Hospital Outcomes: 35.5% admitted, 49.9% discharged from the emergency department, and an overall mortality rate of 3.41% while operating under active rocket fire.Subsequent Conflicts and the Twelve-Day War
  • Regional Escalation: The October 7 attacks triggered widespread regional conflicts involving Hamas, Hezbollah, and direct confrontations with Iran.
  • Soroka Hospital Impact: Soroka Hospital was directly targeted later in the conflict, including being hit by a missile fired from Iran on June 19, 2025, during escalating regional strikes.
    
                    Israeli jets on their way to attack Iran
  • Twelve-Day War (June 2025): An intense 12-day air and military campaign between Israel and Iran—following IAEA non-compliance declarations and extensive strikes on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure—concluded with a ceasefire.

As of October 17, 2026, the war between Israel and Hamas has lasted over three years, making it Israel's longest war, following the October 7, 2023 cross-border attacks in which Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages.  

• Casualties and Toll:
  • In Israel, the October 7 attack resulted in roughly 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages, with total Israeli fatalities since the start of the conflict reaching over 2,000, alongside ongoing regional security challenges.
  • In the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Ministry of Health and international tracking groups report more than 74,000 Palestinians killed and over 175,000 wounded since October 2023. A nominal ceasefire introduced in October 2025 has faced near-daily violations
  • Humanitarian and Living Conditions:
    • Approximately 94% of Gaza's population requires shelter or humanitarian assistance, with an estimated 65% living in tents or makeshift structures.
    • Water insecurity affects roughly 91% of households, and the electricity grid remains non-functional.
    • Roughly 98% of schools and the vast majority of medical infrastructure have been heavily damaged or destroyed.
  • Regional and Political Impact:
  • The conflict expanded into multi-front clashes involving Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi forces, and direct military exchanges with Iran.
  • Inside Israel, the three-year mark has brought intense domestic debate, widespread memorials marking milestones such as 1,000 days, ongoing protests by families demanding hostage and security accountability, and political pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
  • International diplomats and regional actors—including ongoing discussions involving Qatar, the U.S., and Arab nations—continue to wrestle with long-term frameworks for governance, security, and the reconstruction of Gaza.
  • Over 92% of displaced residents from Israel’s Gaza border communities (the Gaza Envelope) have returned home or relocated back to the region following extensive government-led reconstruction.   Out of roughly 64,000 original residents, more than 59,000 have returned to their communities, and thousands of new residents have moved to the area. Reconstruction Status: The government recovery body, the Tekuma Directorate, has driven multibillion-shekel investments to rebuild homes, schools, daycares, and public infrastructure.  Hard-Hit Communities: While most of the 47 affected communities returned within the first year or two, a small number of severely damaged kibbutzim (such as Be'eri, Kfar Aza, and Nir Oz) have had longer recovery timelines with staged returns stretching through 2026 and 2027.tate Support for Rentals: The Israeli government has continued funding alternative housing or rental subsidies (covering up to 90% of rent) for residents whose permanent homes require extended restoration.   New and repaired homes feature upgraded safety standards, including reinforced security rooms (mamad) with heavy steel doors and walls. Schools, local clinics, and commercial centers have progressively reopened, though many residents and families continue to report lingering psychological stress and caution.

Resource:

Update:  10/18/26 at 7:46pm

https://www.un.org/unispal/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/OCHAGAZAAM_270223.pdf