To think we need to speak up

[BigBillyButterBollocks]

Loud. Fast.

I don't want to turn it into a Hamas is responsible/Israel is responsible. I don't want to turn it into a debate.

It takes 3 to 5 days to die from dehydration. Probably less for babies. Being stuck with 2 million people also desperate for water is gonna turn ugly. Then there are the bombings, no food, the lack of medical supplies.

When a journalist asked if the electricity cuts would impact babies in incubators, he was shamed for supporting Hamas beheading babies.

When a journalist asked if the siege was a war crime, the impact on civilians and why did all politicians present the attack as Islamist attack against Jews without any context about the Palestinian cause, he was shamed for supporting Hamas and the atrocities that happened.

When a journalist asked if the siege was legal, that labour lady whose name escapes me kept on repeating a rehearsed message of "Israel has the right to defend himself".

They all seem to have gotten a memo that you deflect any question with shaming and bringing up the atrocities against Israeli children.

Atrocities happened in Israel. It sickens me and saddens me deeply. There is no excuse for it. But it can't be used to avoid talking about what is happening in Gaza. I feel we are being gaslighted into not asking questions.

I want to believe they are secretely working on a deal but I don't think they are. And time is not on Gaza's civilians side.

AIBU to think we should be making a lot of noise for our politicians to stop defending the Gaza siege and start speaking up about this? NOW. Not in 3/5/10 days?

It is haunting me at the moment. I can't focus at work, I can't sleep. What the fuck are we letting happen?

Once Hamas has been blown to smithereens which hopefully won’t take long then I bet everything gets switched on

yes it’s horrific, for both sides, but I bet you Hamas knew exactly what would happen and Israel would do this, Hamas are doing this to their own people, I don’t see anyone pleading with them stop

You realise your license isnt just for the BBC?

how many innocent civillians have to also be blown up in the process?

Just want to add because someone is bound to accuse me. Hamas were NOT angels. Not by any stretch of the imagination. They were just not the Islamists they are being portrayed to be.

Gazans didn't support jihadis. Both sides have committed atrocities in the past. And both sides have failed to properly do something about it.

They are withholding water etc until the hostages are released. It doesn't sit right with me though .

They're still victims.

Do you think the West should invade Israeli and Palestinian territory and forcibly remove their governments? Because that is the only way we can stop what is happening and prevent it happening again - invade, liberate the land from its people, and install a government under our occupation.

When people complain about us "letting" things happen, they seem to conveniently ignore that "not letting" things happen means a full-on military assault.

Often the same people who complain about us "letting" things happen also complain when this country starts a war or peacekeeping mission.

This, 100%.

We managed to get a lot of Ukrainian refugees here why can’t we do the same if theyve been given 24 hours to evacuate and move south ?
Are neighbouring countries (Egypt?) opening their border and helping.
Or is the world just watching and saying ‘ it’s impossible to get civilians out in 24 hours’

I agree. I am really glad to be living in a country whose government are speaking out about how wrong collective punishments are. Israel do not have a right to breach International humanitarian law and it needs to be said loudly and repeatedly by all governments around the world.

What should Israel do instead? Bend over and wait for the next attack?

Oh and it's not our job to take the refugees. They are surrounded on all sides by Arabic/Muslim countries. It's up to them.

I think that the Western governments need to retract their support of the atrocities and war crimes being committed at the moment. And clearly and strongly condemn it.

If Israel still doesn't stop the siege, Egypt needs to send help in. If Israel bombs the Egyptian help, some srrious consequences need to follow (not necessarily military).

This massacre is not acceptable. Something must be done.

For fuck sake. You can fight back without starving and depriving of water the civilians and letting children die a horrible death because hospitals don't have electricity.

Also, they are surround by Israel, the egyptian border being bombed and the sea being controlled by Israel. What are you on about?

There are only two roads south, they are not wide or in great condition, it is physically impossible to get 1m people down them in time. Many are elderly or children or pregnant or ill. The border with Egypt is being bombed by Israel. It is physically impossible for this number of people to leave in time. That’s why the UN is saying Israel’s 24hr warning needs to be rescinded. Israel know very well it is impossible, but it will enable them to pretend they gave a chance for civilians to escape before they raze North Gaza to the ground, which is clearly the next step.

I understand OP. Do you remember how upset everyone was at those 5 people stuck in that submarine a few months ago, counting down their hours of survival? And now 2million people, including children, also have hours that can be counted down left to live.

To those saying why can't we take them in: Gaza is an open air prison. They are not being allowed to leave, and aid is not being allowed to enter.

Bur @Dotjones has it right. We can't get our governments to intervene, or we get the whole fiasco of waging war agaisnt the elected government of another country, installing our own government and then the inevitable repeat if ever we devolve power back. The British Empire died a long time ago, world wide calls are no longer Britain's to make.

Israel has said that if the 150 hostages are released, they will let humanitatian aid in. So if Hamas wanted to, they could save the lives of all of those people, just by releasing hostages. It isn't right to starve a population, inclduing children. Of course it isn't. But Hamas should release the hostages (one of which is 6 months old, another an elderly holocaust survivor, many are children) and wind this down. Hamas don't want to, they want to escalate.

And I imagine Hamas wouldn’t allow them to move even if it was possible?

There are no excuses. No free passes. You don't get to breach international humanitarian law by depriving people of water and electricity. It is wrong.

I am finding it very difficult to concentrate at work because of what is going on.

Collective punishment is a war crime.
6,000 bombs.
UK is sending more arms.
No water or food for millions.

We are watching and supporting a war crime.

No every Palestinian supports Hamas.

Just like not all of us support Tories.

Israel has shown its incompetence and greed over and over again. Someone needs to step in and sort out this mess and divide the land fairly.

otherwise Israel will continue to steal more land and kill more Palestinians until there are none left.

Greed, really?

Have you seen a map of the West Bank!?????

google illegal settlements

Honestly I find this more upsetting than any conflict I've lived through (granted I'm not that old). I don't care who's in the right, I just want them to leave the civilians (especially the babies and children) alone.

@AmazingSnakeHead I am not talking about intervening but they must stop condoning and talk their way out of saying war crimes are happening under out eyes.

We are actually intervening, the US and UK have sent military presence to "deter anyone from attacking Israel" ... We are intervening. We are just not intervening on the good side.

This pending ground attack was my greatest fear as you do not mass 360,000 troops with tanks outside the Gaza barrier if you are not committed to going in and going block by block shooting on sight after you’re done carpet bombing the area.

Is there any proof that those 150 hostages are still alive even?