SWORDS OF IRON PT 2: Is Israel Destroying HAMAS?
Gaza is a sprawling area of 2.1 million people. HAMAS seems intent on sacrificing every one of those people to the Gods of War. How goes the war?
Chart of phase one of operations against Gaza City in January 2024. (WARMAPPER.ORG)
The day before 7 October 2023, there had been appreciable economic and wealth growth in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Three years after the 52-day Israeli war against the HAMAS terrorist group ended, Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television reviewed the positive economic impact of ten years of infrastructure building, business development, and investment that was coming into Gaza despite the simmering conflict with Israel.
There were hopes that Gaza would become another modern Beirut; an Arab world tourist attraction funded principally by Gulf state's money. The Khalijis as the residents of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait were known to want new places to bring their Muslim families on the Mediterranean Sea for wholesome vacations. Many of them eyed Gaza. Others believed that the strip could have become a new Singapore. Investments in computer manufacturing and programming were considered for the well-educated Palestinians. Many Information Technology technicians were working in Israel. The Gazan prospects were on the rise. Until October 7, more than 17,000 Gazans and 50,000 West Bank Palestinians worked in Israel daily to earn salaries for their families.
The world community assisted in raising the quality of life for Palestinians as well. Unfortunately, 59.8% were considered by the United Nations to be living under the poverty rate. There was a 46.7% unemployment rate.
Despite the myth that Israel has been carrying out a “genocide” of Gazans, their population doubled in twenty years from 1.1 million in, 2020 to 2.1 million in 2023. It has the 36th fastest growth rate in the world. UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs states that half of the population is under 14 years of age.
Much of the public infrastructure was funded by United Nations projects. Still, private investors across the region poured money into shopping malls and retail sales centers. Palestinians themselves began building bigger and newer apartment blocks, and expanded hotels, restaurants, and services. New beach resorts, much like the ones in Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon were planned for the Gaza coast. Malls sprang up and the population was making money off of developing the land that they had.
But behind their backs, HAMAS decided to throw it all away and cause the deaths of thousands … because they wanted to look like heroes. HAMAS fantasized about attacking the Jewish state, making their way to Jerusalem, waving the Palestinian flag, and proclaiming themselves as liberators of occupied lands. They saw themselves as heroic forces that used Israel’s strengths against it.
They bloodied Israel’s nose and dared them to do something about it.
Then Israel did.
This is my analysis of what is happening on the ground in the war in Gaza.