"Throughout the two years of the Gaza war, Israeli bombing has been so intense that, in certain weather conditions, its echoes can be heard here in Tel Aviv, 70km away. The mass starvation is quieter. Even images of dead children rarely pierce Israel's media bubble. The war appears in protests over the hostages, political debates, stickers with the faces of fallen soldiers on walls and bus stops. Palestinian suffering by contrast remains distant, abstract, unmoving."
"After two years, Israeli society is adapting: the army has developed a practice of not calling reservists who are likely to dodge the draft; instead, it turns to former soldiers in need of cash or employment, offering them to fill the ranks of its combat units. At times, special arrangements are made so that reservists can keep working in their old jobs, practically doubling their income. Civilian contractors are hired to systematically raze whole neighborhoods in the Strip; they are paid by the house."
"In early August, Israel's security cabinet ordered the military to occupy Gaza City, where some of Hamas's leadership is supposedly hiding. The assault began with the toppling of high-rise buildings last week. Yet the term occupation is misleading: Israel has no intention of ruling over the more than 1 million Palestinians sheltering in the city. Emboldened by US support, the military has ordered residents to move to a so-called humanitarian city in the south, while Gaza City will be leveled to the ground."
Israeli bombing across two years of the Gaza war has become pervasive, while mass starvation and Palestinian suffering remain distant from mainstream Israeli attention. Israeli society has adapted by reshaping mobilization: the army avoids calling likely draft-dodging reservists and recruits former soldiers or offers special arrangements that increase income. Civilian contractors are paid to raze neighborhoods, and the IDF is transforming into a force tailored for permanent operations across Gaza, the West Bank and northern borders. Official orders now target Gaza City for occupation and leveling, coupled with plans to concentrate displaced Palestinians in a designated southern area.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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