I really think it’s more constructive if you look into this on your own rather than me trying to lay everything out here. Short version: Since 2007, Israel has killed a large number of people and carried out multiple incursions into Gaza, including airstrikes and other operations. From my perspective — and after speaking with several Israelis in the Oct 7 thread — it seems that, culturally, there’s a disconnect around the idea that certain policies and actions can actually fuel future conflict. Rather than debate point-by-point, I genuinely encourage you to read more widely. Sometimes hearing it from a different source makes all the difference. I say that without hostility.
Below is that casualty chart from 2008 to 2023. and its for both Gaza and the West Bank. i was aware of this 2014 incursion previously, as well as the 9 years of relative peace that followed pre-October 7th.
this is the crux of Gaza. if you wage war you're a villain, if you sit idly by for 9 years while rockets are fired at you daily and do not wage war while providing electricity and shelter, well you're still a villain.
i mention this because its a serious problem in the potential solution to the Gaza problem. there is no Palestinian problem, there's a west bank problem and a Gaza problem. similar but unique. they've for their own benefit created a solidarity but its simply not a unified issue. when the west bank is dealt with peacefully, its relatively peaceful. settlement and incursions eventually happen (bad israel, i agree), and then violence arises. in gaza it doesnt matter what you do, you give them food, electricity, democracy, water, etc. rockets fly at you forever. i'd bet my life savings that if israel did literally nothing in gaza for 100 years they'd get rockets sent to them for all 100 years. gaza wants independance, but gaza also wants israel gone forever. the egyptians and the saudis sadly wont solve that either. they'll just give them a country that the eventually fall to islamic radicalism, sadly. they dont need independence, they need to become a highly controlled vassal state of saudi arabia. at which time they'll be attacked by iran.
