The Self Imposed Gaza Humanitarian Crisis

[Teddy Bear]

This Communique was put out today by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Attack on the Nahal Oz Crossing into Gaza

[glow=red,2,300]Shortly after 15:00, Palestinian terrorists fired a salvo of mortars at the Nahal Oz area and penetrated the fuel terminal. Two Israeli civilians employed at the terminal, which supplies the Gaza Strip with most of its fuel, were killed in the attack, which took place just after the latest delivery of fuel for the Gaza power plant funded by the European Union.[/glow]

(Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman)

Israel views the Hamas, who controls the Gaza Strip, as responsible for today's (Wednesday, April 9) terror attack on the Nahal Oz fuel crossing terminal. Hamas bears the responsibility for this attack, and will bear the consequences as well.

Today's attack proves yet again that the terrorists in Gaza not only attack Israelis, but also try to harm the civilian infrastructure that allows a normal way of life in the Gaza Strip. It is plain to see that the terrorists' goal is to kill as many Israelis as possible while also undermining any example of coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians, such as occurs at the crossing points between Israel and Gaza.

Israel transfers food, fuel, medicines, equipment and humanitarian supplies on a daily basis to the residents of the Gaza Strip. The terrorists who attacked the fuel terminal today are trying to harm this activity and thereby harm the lives and welfare of the residents of Gaza.

Israel will determine how to defend itself and will act against the terrorist organizations, their commanders and operators. At the same time, Israel will continue with its efforts to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Gaza

What you need to ask yourself is 'why should terrorists from Gaza, in the middle of a supposed humanitarian crisis of their people, attack the very depot which is supplying them the fuel they need to run their essential services'?

There is only one logical explanation, and it requires the complicity of the media, in particular the BBC, not to explain the context of this act so when Israel retalliates they will be seen as the 'evil monster' that is imposing a 'Nazi like stranglehold' on the Gazans.

In other words, it is the BBC and other media outlets like them that contribute to the death, injuries, hardship and suffering of both sides by serving the terrorist agenda.

If you are in any doubt that this is so, here is the way the BBC has covered the story. Notice they include 'an unconfirmed report' that some of the deaths were due to an Israeli missile fired at civilians, which basically means a spurious assertion without any basis in truth, but does the job of vilifying Israel. They also include statements from spokesman for these terrorist organisations justifying their acts, but nothing of the context from the Israeli side.

Militant attack on Israeli border

Smoke rose from buildings after an Israeli air raid near the Gaza border
At least seven people are reported to have been killed following a raid by Palestinian militants near a border crossing between Gaza and Israel.

Two Israeli workers were killed as a fuel depot at the Nahal Oz crossing in northern Gaza came under attack.

The Israeli army said at least two militants were killed as they fled. Another three Palestinians were killed by Israeli missiles, reports said.

The latest violence follows a month or so of relative calm in Gaza.

Fighting had subsided since early March, when the Israeli army launched an offensive that killed around 120 Palestinians.

Depot attacked

Israel said two Israeli civilians were killed and two injured when the Nahal Oz fuel depot came under attack on Wednesday afternoon.

The raid happened just after a fuel delivery to Gaza, sparking a gun battle.

This was a martyrdom-seeking [suicide] operation aimed at kidnapping Zionist soldiers

Abu-Mujahid
Islamic Jihad spokesman

"There was a massive fire of mortar shells on the depot, and they got close to the fence with rifles and machine guns," an Israeli witness said.

"They killed two of the depot workers, shot them dead."

The firing has now stopped, but the Israeli army has told civilians to stay indoors for their own safety.

The Israeli army said two militants were killed as they fled back into Gaza after the attack. At least one other was reported to have escaped.

Later Israeli aircraft hit a vehicle in Gaza City which the military said was carrying Islamic Jihad militants who took part in the attack.

The group said several militants were injured in the strike.

Palestinian medical sources said three people were killed - though there were unconfirmed reports that these casualties were sustained in a separate Israeli missile strike on a residential area.

Suicide operation

Islamic Jihad was one of three groups to claim responsibility for the border raid.

Its spokesman, identified only as Abu-Mujahid, said the attack was aimed at breaking the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, imposed after Hamas seized control of the territory last June.

"This was a martyrdom-seeking [suicide] operation aimed at kidnapping Zionist soldiers," he said.

"It's been code-named Breaking the Blockade. It demolishes the continuous Zionist arrogance against our people."

Hamas itself has not said it was involved in the operation.

However, Israeli spokesman Mark Regev said Hamas would be held responsible for the attack.

"Hamas clearly controls the Gaza Strip," he told AFP news agency.

"They are directly responsible for this attack and we will hold them accountable."

Israeli operation

Earlier an Israeli soldier and a Hamas militant died in a separate clash that broke out during an Israeli army operation in southern Gaza.

Militants had fired grenades and mortars at Israeli troops, who were backed by helicopters.

The Israeli Defence Forces named the dead soldier as Saif Bissan, 21. Hamas named its dead militant as Mohammed Shamiya, also 21.

Israel frequently mounts raids into Gaza to try to stop militants from firing rockets its territory.

Lest you think that no Israeli spokesman made this context available for the media, here is another communique from the MFA on the situation:

Gaza: Israeli aid and Hamas attacks

Israel is facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip while at the same time it is being attacked from that Hamas-controlled territory.

(Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman)

Today, Tuesday, 8 April 2008 (as of 16:30 Israel time), terrorists in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip fired 32 mortar bombs and three Kassam rockets at Israeli territory. So far, there have been no reported injuries or damage.

In addition, during an IDF operation against terrorists operating near the border fence between Israel and the northern Gaza Strip, terrorists opened fire on the IDF force. The IDF soldiers returned fire, hitting two gunmen. Rocket-propelled grenades and Kalashnikov rifles were found on the two terrorists.

At the same time, 127 humanitarian aid trucks, carrying medical equipment, diapers and basic food products were transferred today from Israel to the Palestinian population in Gaza, via the Sufa and Kerem Shalom crossings.

Israel is facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip while at the same time it is being attacked from that territory. Israel holds Hamas fully responsible for these attacks and their consequences.

[Teddy Bear]

Further to this incident, contrast the following news articles, one by the BBC and one by The Washington Post (although written by an AP writer), to see how skewed and lacking in relevant information is the one by the BBC.

Think about this the next time a BBC spokesman tells us how 'respected and valuable' they like to believe they are.

First the BBC's

Israel will 'respond' over raid

Israel says it will "settle the score" with Hamas
Israel has again held Hamas responsible for a raid by Palestinian militants on an Israeli fuel depot, and says it will respond at a time of its choosing.

Two Israeli civilians and at least seven Palestinians died in Wednesday's violence near a Gaza border crossing.

Deputy Defence Minister Matan Vilnai said Israel would "settle the score" with Hamas, which it blames for the raid because it controls Gaza.

Several militant groups, including Islamic Jihad, say they were to blame.

Hamas has denied that its forces were involved in the attack.

Mr Vilnai told Israel's army radio that Hamas "bears sole responsibility for what happened in the Gaza Strip".

However, he played down suggestions that Israel might cut off fuel supplies to Gaza in retaliation.

"We cannot afford to provoke a humanitarian crisis," he said.

'Massive fire'

The attack began with an apparent attempt to seize Israeli soldiers.

The two Israelis killed were workers at the depot near the Nahal Oz crossing in northern Gaza.

Israeli officials say the militants targeted this point along the border because they wanted to disrupt fuel supplies into Gaza and thereby create a civilian crisis.


This was a martyrdom-seeking operation aimed at kidnapping Zionist soldiers

Abu-Mujahid
Islamic Jihad spokesman

The raid, which happened just after a fuel delivery to Gaza, sparked a gun battle in which at least four militants were involved, the Israeli military says.

"There was a massive fire of mortar shells on the depot, and they got close to the fence with rifles and machine-guns," an Israeli witness said.

"They killed two of the depot workers - shot them dead."

Two militants were killed as they fled back into Gaza, the Israeli military said, while at least one other apparently escaped.

Later, Israeli aircraft hit a vehicle in Gaza City which the military said had been carrying Islamic Jihad militants involved in the attack. Palestinian civilians were reported to be among the casualties.

A spokesman for Islamic Jihad, identified as Abu-Mujahid, said the attack had been aimed at breaking the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, imposed after Hamas seized control of the territory last June.

"This was a martyrdom-seeking [suicide] operation aimed at kidnapping Zionist soldiers," he said.

Israel frequently mounts raids into Gaza to try to stop militants from firing rockets its territory.

And the one by the Washington Post - It's so refreshing to read news that is really well written and in context.

Israel Cuts Off Gaza Fuel After Attack

By MARK LAVIE
The Associated Press
Thursday, April 10, 2008; 1:46 PM

JERUSALEM -- Israel cut off the only source of fuel to Gaza's 1.4 million people Thursday after a deadly Palestinian raid on the Israeli depot, deepening the seaside territory's hardship.

Gaza's Hamas rulers warned more attacks will follow, as resentment grows over a months-old Israeli blockade.

The fuel cutoff that followed the brazen daylight attack on the only fuel transfer point into Gaza brought charges that Islamic extremists were trying to provoke another round of violence with Israel, while putting Israel in the untenable position of appearing to cause a humanitarian crisis.

Though some Israelis demanded that Israel halt all supplies to Gaza, Israeli defense officials indicated the cutoff would not last past the weekend.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said Wednesday's attack was only "the beginning of the eruption" against the blockade.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the main intersections of Gaza City to protest the Israeli blockade and economic sanctions. "Rescue Gaza, lift the siege imposed on Gaza," read signs raised at one junction.

Abu Ahmed of Islamic Jihad said the attack deliberately targeted the fuel depot, where he said Gazans are forced to wait for hours for supplies strictly limited by Israel.

"This fuel (from Israel) is dipped in humiliation," he said. "If their fuel means humiliation for us, we don't want it."

After the deadly gunfire attack shattered the relative calm of the past month, Israel sent tanks, troops and aircraft into Gaza, killing at least eight Palestinians, including three civilians.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged to keep hitting Hamas so that it cannot "continue to operate against Israeli civilians as it does."

Addressing a meeting of his Kadima Party, Olmert added, "Alongside our war against terror and Hamas, we will continue to hold serious and responsible negotiations that can lead us to agreements" with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Though Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005, it remains the main source of imports into the impoverished territory. Fuel and cargo enter and exit Gaza through two crossing points with Israel, and a third is the main passage for people. The only direct crossing between Gaza and Egypt is usually closed, as Egypt cooperates with the boycott of the Hamas regime imposed by Israel and the West.

Hamas is threatening to crash through the Egyptian border wall again, after a January breakout allowed hundreds of thousands of Gazans to stream into Egypt for nearly two weeks. About 200 Gazans demonstrated at the Egyptian border Thursday.

Human rights groups maintain that Israel is still technically the occupier of Gaza, despite its pullout, holding Israel responsible for the hardships faced by the Palestinians there. Israel has pledged to prevent a humanitarian crisis, while following a policy of gradually trying to disengage from Gaza.

The difficulty for Israel in cutting off fuel supplies to Gaza was evident in January, when Hamas invited TV networks to broadcast live as they shut down Gaza City's only electric power plant, plunging the city into darkness.

Though Israel insisted it was supplying enough fuel to produce electricity in Gaza and accused Hamas of staging an artificial crisis, pressure forced resumption of regular fuel deliveries within days.

The infiltration also served as a reminder that Israel, which is conducting peace talks with Abbas' rival Palestinian government, would not implement a deal as long as Hamas rules Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said the raid would not disrupt peace talks. The two sides hope to reach a final peace deal by the end of the year.

"We decided that we will continue to talk and will not let terrorists have a veto voice on the talks with the pragmatic forces," Mekel said.

An Israeli think tank reported Thursday that the Hamas military buildup is at its peak, despite the blockade.

The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center said Hamas has 20,000 armed men and has acquired longer-range rockets and advanced anti-tank weapons.

It also said Iran and Syria supply Hamas with weapons, technical know-how and training.

The center has close links to Israel's defense establishment, and some of the material in the report was based on data from the Shin Bet security agency.

[Teddy Bear]

The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) elucidates further on how Hamas is using the media to construct a 'humanitarian' crisis. We know how only too willing the BBC is to comply. which frankly makes them a highly destructive weapon of the terrorists, killing and harming civilians on both sides of this conflict.

A Hamas-made crisis in Gaza

[glow=red,2,300]The Hamas terror organization is staging a situation of crisis and distress, and harming the civilian population in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to divert pressure onto Israel.[/glow]

(Communicated by the Coordination and Liaison Administration, Erez)

Colonel Nir Press, Head of the Coordination and Liaison Administration: "The State of Israel has permitted the steady and continuous flow of fuel into the Gaza Strip in recent weeks."

2,200,000 liters of diesel fuel are transferred through the Nahal Oz fuel terminal to the Gaza Strip power plant weekly. This power plant is capable of supplying 30% of the total electricity requirements of the Gaza Strip. The remaining power needs are supplied by Israel and Egypt. In addition, unlimited quantities of cooking gas, 800,000 liters of diesel fuel for transportation and 75,000 liters of gasoline are transferred weekly.

The gasoline and diesel fuel transferred by Israel is designated primarily for use by ambulances, water pumps, the sewage system, for the operation of generators at various institutions such as hospitals, schools and clinics, for agricultural use, transportation, school buses, food trucks, garbage collection, public transportation, shipping boats, food plants, bakeries, and so on.

Col. Press stated that it has become apparent in recent weeks that the Palestinians are staging an energy crisis while instigating a strike and protest rallies. The closed filling stations, the long lines of people and vehicles waiting many hours to fill their tanks, are all part of a planned Hamas media campaign being conducted at the expense of the civilian population - a crisis caused by their failure to draw available fuel supplies from the Nahal Oz Palestinian fuel depot.

Col. Press further stated that "In the last two weeks there were no restrictions on freely drawing fuel from the Palestinian depot at Nahal Oz and distributing it to filling stations, but this did not take place. In contrast, cooking gas and diesel fuel for the power station have been supplied on a regular basis. As of today, the Palestinian stock of fuel amounts to 188,000 liters of gasoline and over 800,000 liters of diesel fuel."

The Hamas organization is intentionally harming the civilian population in the Gaza Strip by not allowing the supply of fuel for humanitarian purposes, and preventing the distribution of fuel to civilian filling stations. In the weeks preceding this development, a substantial share of the fuel supplies - almost half - was diverted for use by the Hamas terror organization and its operatives.

The murderous attack on 9 April 2008 at the Nahal Oz fuel terminal, in which two civilian workers at the terminal, Oleg Lipson and Lev Cherniak, were killed, constitutes additional testimony to the terror from the Gaza Strip directed at Israel, at the crossings which serve the Palestinians, and at Israeli civilians working for Palestinian welfare, while attempting to create a crisis and to harness Palestinian public opinion against Israel as part of this campaign.

The cynical use of the Palestinian population, as well as the stoppage of the supply of fuel for civilian and humanitarian use, could have been prevented by drawing the available fuel from the depot at the Palestinian terminal and directing it to humanitarian/civilian needs and to local filling stations, for the benefit of the residents of Gaza.

[Teddy Bear]

Nobody reading the following BBC article could believe the lack of context and basic omissions are accidental. Instead the BBC prefer to vilify Israel for a situation that is entirely caused by Hamas, where if anything, they should be lauded for continuing to provide basic amenities to a people that attack the very source of their own relief. Even the Independant, which is no friend of Israel, makes it clear in their article on the subject.

Let's examine the BBC's

Israeli fuel allows Gaza reprieve

Israel has made a last-minute provision of fuel to a UN aid agency in the Gaza Strip after the body warned a lack of fuel was about to hit aid deliveries.

A spokesman for the UN Relief Works Agency (Unrwa) said it now had enough fuel to last about 20 days.

Earlier he had warned that aid supplies to 650,000 people would be halted.

Fuel supplies were interrupted when Israel closed two major crossing points into the territory after they came under mortar fire.

Came under mortar fire??? From whom exactly? Shouldn't there be a mention that it was by the same Palestinians that the BBC are trying to present as the 'oppressed' people?

Unrwa stopped distributing food aid in Gaza two weeks ago for several days after its vehicles ran out of fuel.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since the militant group Hamas took power in the territory last year.

'Suffering'

"We have managed to pull back from the brink, but it is entirely unacceptable that a humanitarian and human resources organisation like UNRWA should have been pushed to the brink in the first place," Unrwa spokesman Christopher Gunness told AFP news agency.

"But the bigger picture is not about Unrwa, it's about the human face of the suffering of the people of Gaza," he said.

The Nahal Oz terminal and the Karni crossings - through which most food, fuel and humanitarian aid reaches Gaza - were closed by Israel on Sunday after a mortar attack.

Israel has said the crossings are being deliberately targeted by Hamas.

More than 80% of Gaza's population relies on humanitarian assistance, with UN food aid going to about 1.1 million people. A high proportion of them are children.

'Israel has said the crossings are being deliberately targeted by Hamas. '
Like it's just a matter of opinion and not a physical fact.