As early as October 9 top Israeli officials declared that they intended to block the delivery of food, water, and electricity, which is essential for purifying water and cooking. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s words have become infamous: “I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed. We are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.” The statement conveyed the view that has seemed to guide Israel’s approach throughout the conflict: that Gazans are collectively complicit for Hamas’s crimes on October 7.

This was my turning point as well, when it became completely obvious that the goal was the direct suffering and punishment of civilians collectively with government officials dehumanizing Palestinians openly. The repeated evacuations to “safe zones” that were then attacked just reinforced this, along with cutting off or murdering journalists to hide the genocide.

Yes, Hamas escalated the situation knowing the Israeli government would retaliate on this level, but that does not justify the IDF taking the bait.