Special Focus: Is the Israeli Gaza Ground Offensive Worth A Defensive Effort?

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Saturday, July 19th, 2014

By Tajudeen Balogun with Agency Report

The Israelis Gaza’s ground offensive and rocket assaults which started late Thursday has recorded high causality; attracted wide condemnations; stirred anxiety and resulted to exodus of huge population of Palestinians.

Among of the most passionate cases in the three –day old offensive was the killing of the Palestinian family of eight which was among the 15 latest killing. The family disaster stands out in the death toll of the ongoing campaign which has reportedly reached 300.

The current Israelis ground campaign was a reinforce, aimed at succeeding fruitless 10 days airstrike to stop further rocket firing by Hamas.

Israelis Military officers have also claimed responsibility to killing of several Hamas fighters armed with machine-guns determined to carry out a deadly attacks on a nearby Israeli community.

Agency reports revealed that the al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza residents have received telephone alert today (Saturday) from the IDF, directing immediate evacuation ahead of Israeli military extensive operations.

This alarm bell has apparently resulted to exit of 50,000 Palestinians from the battle zone according to UN source.

The Israelis Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu also warned about ground offensive having “significant expansion”. Still, Palestinian Hamas vowed that Israel would “pay a high price” for the invasion.

Corroborating the devastating impacts of the raging alternative strike, a business and management graduate in Gaza, Abdelraziq, said “the ground invasion is a bad move because it is going to kill more innocent civilians and would do no good for Israelis.”

Many other Israelis have also kicked against the ground campaign, describing it as a “necessary evil” and the last approach by the Israelis authorities saying it would endanger the lives of the national troops, though they were opposed to rockets firing by the Hamas.

The United State (US) President, Barack Obama’s position appears evasive when on Friday conversed with the Prime Minister Netanyahu. He condemned rocket and cautioned against escalation in Gaza, yet justified the Israel’s right to defend itself against Palestinian militants.

“No nation should accept rockets being fired into its borders”, President Obama declared. He also advised Israel to ensure the ground launch was carried out “in a way that minimizes civilian casualties.”

The present onslaught many political and politics watchers and analysts view have rubbished the previous peaceful initiatives taken by the UN and other Middle East leaders. For instance, President Mahmoud Abbas was billed for Egypt this week for a date with the President Abdul Fatah al –Sisi for a mediation at the instance of the latter.

Similarly, the world body – UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon is also billed to visit the war turned region for mediation. His visit is aimed at helping Israelis and Palestinians to end the violence and find a way forward. Will the latest move facilitate any inclusive approach; desirable and peaceful solution? Events as they unfold will certainly decide.

The Israel – Palestine fight began when the trio of Israelis teenagers including Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaer and Eyal Yifrach were kidnapped but later found dead in West Bank. The killing was blamed on Hamas. This however escalated to the killing onJuly 2 of a 16-year-old Palestinian,Mohammed Abu Khdeir who was allegedly killed by three Jewish Israelis in the East Jerusalem.