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Aron White

Hamas` crimes against the Palestinians

Hamas were elected by the Palestinians in 2006, and have ruled Gaza since June 2007. They have committed terrible crimes against their own people, continuing through until today.

1. Hamas divert humanitarian aid from their own people. In 2009, Ma`an news agency reported that a shipment of aid, co-ordinated with the UNWRA, was held up at gun-point by Hamas members, and diverted to a private warehouse. Concrete that is meant for humanitarian purposes has been used for building tunnels into Israel, which can only harm Israelis, not benefit Palestinians. On July 19th this year, the New York Times reported that the first 13 tunnels discovered going from Gaza into Israel (and now over 30 have been discovered) were made of 600,000 tons of cement.

2. Hamas have acted brutally against political opponents. In January 2009, Khaled Abu Toameh wrote in the Jerusalem Post that at least 80 Fatah members in Gaza had been severely injured, or had limbs broken, by Hamas, because of their political alignment. There were reports in the Jerusalem Post in 2007 of Hamas killing Fatah members in front of their wives and children. Press freedom in the region is terrible. Freedom House says that on a scale where 0 is the best and 100 the worst, Gaza and the West Bank score 83 (although this includes the Fatah controlled West Bank).

3. Hamas show little regard for the lives of their people. The Institute for Palestine Studies wrote in 2012 that 160 children died building tunnels for Hamas. Hamas frequently calls upon it`s civilians to act as human shields, and stores it`s weapons in the middle of civilian areas.

The Gazans need, and deserve, a government which cares more about them than the destruction of their next door neighbours.

About the Author
Aron White, 22, is currently studying and teaching in Yeshivat HaKotel, whilst studying for a degree in Politics and International Relations through LSE.