2/8/24 Dave DeCamp on Developments in the War on Gaza
Feb 16, 2024
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Dave DeCamp, the news editor of Antiwar.com, discusses recent developments in the war on Gaza with Scott Horton. They cover topics such as the Israel component of the Congressional military spending package, the death toll in Gaza, the impending invasion of Rafah, and the extreme views of Israeli Minister of National Security, Ben Gavir.
The recent bill in Congress includes a substantial foreign military aid package, allocating billions of dollars to countries like Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and China.
The high number of casualties in Gaza, including a significant number of innocent civilians, underscores the devastating impact of the ongoing violence and the dire need for medical resources and care in the region.
Deep dives
1. Overview of the foreign military aid package
The podcast discusses a recent bill in Congress that includes a 95 billion dollar foreign military aid package. The package consists of 60 billion dollars for Ukraine, 14 billion dollars for Israel, 4.8 billion dollars for Taiwan, and 3 billion dollars for China-related spending. The bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting a vote in the House. The speaker, Mike Johnson, supports sending money to Ukraine but wants a border deal as well, making the outcome uncertain.
2. Latest update on casualties in the Gaza Strip
The Gaza health ministry has reported over 28,000 deaths, including 12,300 children and 8,000 women. There are still an estimated 7,000 people missing. The numbers have been questioned in the past, but both the US and Israel rely on them as they are the only available figures. The Israeli government claims that one-third of the deaths are combatants, but even if that is accepted, it means that two-thirds of the casualties are innocent civilians. The wounded count is estimated to be over 66,000, with horrifying scenes in Gaza's hospitals showing the lack of resources and medical care for the injured.
3. Controversial statements and escalating tensions
The podcast highlights the controversial statements made by Israeli Minister of National Security, Ben Gavir, who openly advocated for shooting Palestinian women and children near the border. Such rhetoric, along with the ongoing occupation protests and blocking of aid, has contributed to the worsening situation. The podcast also mentions how talks for a ceasefire plan in Gaza were vetoed by Netanyahu, despite the support from the National Security Establishment and IDF. Additionally, the podcast touches on the escalating tensions in Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, where the conflict between the US-Israel alliance and the Shiites has spread to a low-scale regional war.
Scott was joined by Dave DeCamp on Antiwar News this week to go over what’s happening related to Gaza. They discuss the Israel component of the Congressional military spending package, the death toll in Gaza so far, the coming invasion of Rafah and more.
Discussed on the show:
“Israel’s Ben Gvir Says Israeli Military Should Shoot Palestinian Women and Children” (Antiwar.com)