Despite the more than 61 Palestinian deaths since October 2023, many of them still buried under rubble, a large part of Israeli society refuses to acknowledge the reality of the pain it is causing. “Israel and its society have lost any moral claim they might have had from the Holocaust. The symbolic capital they inherited from the past has already been consumed,” said sociologist Shenhav-Shahrabani.
By La Stampa
As tens of thousands of protesters marched in Tel Aviv on Saturday to demand the release of two Israeli hostages in Gaza who were shown starving in a video released by Hamas, another reality is emerging within Israeli society: Indifference to the mass starvation that has plagued Gaza. The images of the two hostages in critical condition confirmed that the blockade imposed by Israel in March has severely affected not only the civilian population, but also the Israelis themselves remaining in the Palestinian territory. At least 197 people have died of starvation in Gaza, including 96 children, while the international response to the crisis is growing by the day.
However, a poll by the Israel Democracy Institute found that over half of Jewish Israelis surveyed are “not at all concerned” about the hunger and suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. This comes at a time when major world newspapers, even those that previously supported Israeli policy, have been reporting on the horrific consequences of the Gaza offensive on their front pages.
On the ground, far-right activists in Israel have blocked aid trucks trying to enter Gaza, defying global outrage and warnings from Western governments. Canada, France and the UK have already sharply criticized the Israeli approach and have warned of recognizing Palestinian statehood if a solution is not found. Within Israel itself, two of its most prominent organizations, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, have called the Gaza campaign “genocide,” as protests against the war grow. But, paradoxically, last week, hundreds of protesters, including wounded soldiers and families of hostages, marched on parliament to demand the war continue.
According to Israeli journalist Orly Noy, the lack of awareness about the humanitarian crisis also stems from the silence of the country’s mainstream media. “The media here has explained the famine in Gaza as a ‘Hamas manipulation,’ overshadowing the truth,” she told Al Jazeera.
Political analyst Daniel Levy says that this societal attitude stems from “decades of self-justification and dehumanization of others.” Meanwhile, sociologist Yehouda Shenhav-Shahrabani points out that even the language in public discourse has become distorted: “We don’t talk about concentration camps, but about ‘humanitarian cities’; we don’t talk about murder, but about ‘elimination.’ This has become a new form of communication, like in Orwell’s novel 1984.” However, there are signs that opinions are starting to change, especially on the fringes of Israeli society. Left-wing MP Aida Touma-Suleiman said that more and more people are realizing that there is a real famine in Gaza and are beginning to question their government’s role in causing it.
Activist Alon-Lee Green points out that resistance to the war is growing even among communities that were previously silent.
“It doesn’t matter why you’re against the war, whether it’s because you’re not going back to the army or because you don’t want your children to go to Gaza. If you’re against the war, you’re welcome,” he says. But despite the more than 61 Palestinians killed since October 2023, many of them still under the rubble, a large part of Israeli society refuses to accept the reality of the pain it is causing. “Israel and its society have lost any moral claim they might have had to the Holocaust. The symbolic capital they inherited from that past has already been consumed,” said sociologist Shenhav-Shahrabani.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported heated exchanges between the army chief of staff and members of the security cabinet during a 10-hour meeting that approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to expand the military offensive in Gaza. According to the Ynet news agency, General Eyal Zamir expressed his strong opposition to a full-scale invasion of Gaza, which would in practice mean an occupation of the territory. He warned of serious consequences, including the displacement of nearly a million Palestinians living in the areas expected to be hit and the risk to the lives of about 20 hostages believed to still be alive.
The general has also raised concerns about the state of the army, which is exhausted after nearly two years of war, with reservists having been deployed several times in Gaza. It is not yet clear when the offensive, which is expected to last for months and will require the mobilization of thousands of soldiers and the forced evacuation of civilians, many of whom have already been displaced several times, will begin. There are also fears that expanding the military operation will lead to more Palestinian casualties. According to the Ma’ariv newspaper, the general assessment is that “most, perhaps all, of the living hostages would lose their lives” during such an offensive, either killed by the kidnappers or by Israeli forces themselves in the fighting.
The takeover of Gaza City is expected to be the first step in Netanyahu’s plan to establish full military control over the enclave. The official statement from his office did not use the word “occupation,” which Ynet said was avoided for legal reasons, as it would imply responsibility for the well-being of the civilian population. However, experts warn that this does not change the international legal status. Under international law, an occupying force has obligations to protect the basic needs of the local population.