Relief for the innocent in Gaza war
Rising global concern for civilian harm may finally be shaping the conflict in coming days.
Members of the Egyptian Red Crescent pose in front of a truck loaded with humanitarian aid for Palestinians, in the city of Al-Arish in Egypt's Sinai peninsula, Oct. 15.
Reuters
Israel and Hamas have had violent conflicts for 17 years, but this latest one has captured the world’s attention like none in the past. That’s because many civilians, first in Israel and then in Gaza, have been killed or harmed, or remain in harm’s way. That heightened global concern for the innocence of noncombatants may finally be shaping the conflict.
On Friday, the first trucks carrying water, food, fuel, and medicine are expected to cross from Egypt into Gaza to partially relieve what the United Nations calls an “unprecedented human catastrophe.” Nearly 1 million Palestinians in northern Gaza have fled to the south under threat of an Israeli invasion to uproot Hamas, which governs the enclave. Many of the displaced people are living in desperate conditions and vulnerable to military actions.
The aid, however, could be cut off at any moment if Israel and the United States detect it is being diverted to the militant Islamist group. “If Hamas confiscates it or doesn’t let it get through ... then it’s going to end, because we’re not going to be sending any humanitarian aid to Hamas,” President Joe Biden said.
That prospect has led to a second international reaction. Many countries are now debating whether to offer asylum to any Palestinian from Gaza – not affiliated with Hamas – who wants a temporary, safe home. The Israeli military has said Palestinian civilians who followed its order to flee the northern part of the Gaza Strip would be allowed to return once the war ends.
On Tuesday, the first Western leader called for countries to offer such a refugee resettlement plan. Once a plan is set up, said the first minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, then “Scotland is willing to be the first country in the UK to offer safety and sanctuary to those caught up in these terrible attacks.” Mr. Yousaf’s brother-in-law works as a doctor in Gaza.
For a number of reasons, both Jordan and Egypt have rejected the idea of taking in Gazan civilians. One is a suspicion that Israel may not let them return, as happened after the exodus of Palestinians following wars in 1948 and 1967. Another is a fear that Hamas radicals will slip into those countries and jeopardize peace, both internally and with Israel.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has asked Egypt and Jordan for support in evacuating civilians from the Gaza Strip. Egypt’s support is especially needed because Hamas may not allow civilians to leave, just as the group tried to block the flow of civilians from the north to the south.
The Israel-Hamas war may escalate in coming days. But so, too, have demands for the two sides to honor international rules on protecting the innocent. The war in Gaza is not only a battle of weapons but also one for conscience.