Gazans Risking It All To Reach Israel

Thursday, September 03, 2015 | Israel Today Staff

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Palestinians raised in the Gaza Strip are taught to believe Israel is a blood-thirsty monster that desires nothing more than their destruction. Apparently, many aren’t buying the lies, as the number of Gazans risking it all to seek asylum in the Jewish state is growing.

Every day, Palestinians are crossing the border, and telling of impossible living conditions under the Hamas regime.

Initially, IDF soldiers guarding the border feared the rising number of infiltrators was a new wave of terrorist activity. But interrogations revealed that most of those crossing the fence are fleeing in fear of Hamas, willing even to risk imprisonment in Israel, where at least they’ll receive three meals a day.

Hamas itself is working to stem this tide by establishing a security strip patrolled by its gunmen, forcing the asylum seekers to crawl long distances and then under the fence. Those who are captured on the Gaza side are executed.

“We were afraid of Hamas, and the patrol road they built is meant to prevent us from leaving Gaza,” said one escapee in remarks published by Israel’s NRG news portal. Hamas reportedly worries those who leave Gaza could become “collaborators” with Israel.

Since last summer’s Gaza war, sparked by increased Hamas rocket fire on southern Israel, the socio-economic situation in the coastal enclave has reached an all-time low. Residents suffer from a lack of food and basic supplies, and nearly all the aid entering Gaza is confiscated by Hamas. For instance, nearly all of the cement sent to Gaza to repair and rebuilt homes damaged in the war has instead been used to construct new smuggling and terror tunnels.

Most of the asylum-seeking infiltrators are immediately captured by the IDF and other security forces. Following questioning, nearly all are sent back to Gaza.

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Friday, September 4, 2015