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Israeli soldiers eat jelly doughnuts near the Gaza border on December 7, 2023.
"And U.S. taxpayers are funding this," fumed one critic.
As the people of Gaza suffer hell on Earth, Israeli soldiers committing what the world increasingly recognizes as a genocide against them can now kick back and relax at a beachfront resort in the embattled strip and enjoy treated water from a desalination plant while Palestinians die from lack of water, food, and other necessities.
The Israeli outlet Ynet reported Thursday that Israel Defense Forces troops in northern Gaza are relaxing at a "beachfront resort" located "amid the devastation" wrought by the IDF's U.S.-backed 445-day assault, which, according to Gazan and international agencies, has left more than 164,000 Palestinians dead, maimed, or missing; millions more forcibly displaced, starved, or sickened; and most of the coastal enclave in ruins.
Oxfam reported that between October 5 and December 22, Israel allowed only 12 trucks of food and water into northern Gaza, where over 200,000 people were living before the siege. Normally, this population would require approximately 45 trucks of aid per day.
Ynet here shares… https://t.co/gdigrr1CPm pic.twitter.com/OIHsoU07Ct
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) December 23, 2024
According to Ynet:
Throughout the retreat, beanbags are scattered for lounging. One soldier relaxes with an iced energy drink, while another enjoys a hot cappuccino paired with meringue cookies. Soldiers can shower and use pristine restroom facilities that feel "just like home." In the center of the green lawn, a long table is laden with lavish breakfasts reminiscent of a hotel buffet. For lunch and dinner, a barbecue station operates nonstop, serving more than the standard wings and hotdogs—steaks and other premium cuts are grilled to perfection... Additional comforts include a coffee bar with a large espresso machine, popcorn and cotton candy stations, and a lounge offering Belgian waffles and fresh pretzels.
David Turjeman, head of food services for the IDF's Southern Command, told Ynet: "You know this is Gaza, right? Yet we've created a sense of home here, with iced coffee, espresso, protein shakes, toast, shakshuka, fresh fruit, and even ice cream on warmer days."
As Palestinians suffer "complete psychological destruction" as a result of Israel's onslaught, IDF troops visiting the retreat "have access to mental health support from counselors and remote consultations." As Israeli forces besiege and attack Gaza's few remaining hospitals, the retreat offers "on-site care from a nurse and a paramedic," as well as "massages for sore backs and legs" and the services of a mobile dental clinic.
There's also a desalination plant capable of producing 60,000 liters of drinking water daily. This, as Human Rights Watch last week accused Israel of "extermination and acts of genocide" in Gaza "by intentionally depriving Palestinian civilians there of adequate access to water, most likely resulting in thousands of deaths."
Israeli soldiers expressed their surprise at the amenities available at the retreat.
"We didn't get a house, but the food is amazing, and the drinks are great," Sgt. Yaron Rabinovitch told Ynet.
Sgt. Daniel Vakrat said: "We didn't expect anything like this. It's an incredible morale booster."
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
As the people of Gaza suffer hell on Earth, Israeli soldiers committing what the world increasingly recognizes as a genocide against them can now kick back and relax at a beachfront resort in the embattled strip and enjoy treated water from a desalination plant while Palestinians die from lack of water, food, and other necessities.
The Israeli outlet Ynet reported Thursday that Israel Defense Forces troops in northern Gaza are relaxing at a "beachfront resort" located "amid the devastation" wrought by the IDF's U.S.-backed 445-day assault, which, according to Gazan and international agencies, has left more than 164,000 Palestinians dead, maimed, or missing; millions more forcibly displaced, starved, or sickened; and most of the coastal enclave in ruins.
Oxfam reported that between October 5 and December 22, Israel allowed only 12 trucks of food and water into northern Gaza, where over 200,000 people were living before the siege. Normally, this population would require approximately 45 trucks of aid per day.
Ynet here shares… https://t.co/gdigrr1CPm pic.twitter.com/OIHsoU07Ct
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) December 23, 2024
According to Ynet:
Throughout the retreat, beanbags are scattered for lounging. One soldier relaxes with an iced energy drink, while another enjoys a hot cappuccino paired with meringue cookies. Soldiers can shower and use pristine restroom facilities that feel "just like home." In the center of the green lawn, a long table is laden with lavish breakfasts reminiscent of a hotel buffet. For lunch and dinner, a barbecue station operates nonstop, serving more than the standard wings and hotdogs—steaks and other premium cuts are grilled to perfection... Additional comforts include a coffee bar with a large espresso machine, popcorn and cotton candy stations, and a lounge offering Belgian waffles and fresh pretzels.
David Turjeman, head of food services for the IDF's Southern Command, told Ynet: "You know this is Gaza, right? Yet we've created a sense of home here, with iced coffee, espresso, protein shakes, toast, shakshuka, fresh fruit, and even ice cream on warmer days."
As Palestinians suffer "complete psychological destruction" as a result of Israel's onslaught, IDF troops visiting the retreat "have access to mental health support from counselors and remote consultations." As Israeli forces besiege and attack Gaza's few remaining hospitals, the retreat offers "on-site care from a nurse and a paramedic," as well as "massages for sore backs and legs" and the services of a mobile dental clinic.
There's also a desalination plant capable of producing 60,000 liters of drinking water daily. This, as Human Rights Watch last week accused Israel of "extermination and acts of genocide" in Gaza "by intentionally depriving Palestinian civilians there of adequate access to water, most likely resulting in thousands of deaths."
Israeli soldiers expressed their surprise at the amenities available at the retreat.
"We didn't get a house, but the food is amazing, and the drinks are great," Sgt. Yaron Rabinovitch told Ynet.
Sgt. Daniel Vakrat said: "We didn't expect anything like this. It's an incredible morale booster."
As the people of Gaza suffer hell on Earth, Israeli soldiers committing what the world increasingly recognizes as a genocide against them can now kick back and relax at a beachfront resort in the embattled strip and enjoy treated water from a desalination plant while Palestinians die from lack of water, food, and other necessities.
The Israeli outlet Ynet reported Thursday that Israel Defense Forces troops in northern Gaza are relaxing at a "beachfront resort" located "amid the devastation" wrought by the IDF's U.S.-backed 445-day assault, which, according to Gazan and international agencies, has left more than 164,000 Palestinians dead, maimed, or missing; millions more forcibly displaced, starved, or sickened; and most of the coastal enclave in ruins.
Oxfam reported that between October 5 and December 22, Israel allowed only 12 trucks of food and water into northern Gaza, where over 200,000 people were living before the siege. Normally, this population would require approximately 45 trucks of aid per day.
Ynet here shares… https://t.co/gdigrr1CPm pic.twitter.com/OIHsoU07Ct
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) December 23, 2024
According to Ynet:
Throughout the retreat, beanbags are scattered for lounging. One soldier relaxes with an iced energy drink, while another enjoys a hot cappuccino paired with meringue cookies. Soldiers can shower and use pristine restroom facilities that feel "just like home." In the center of the green lawn, a long table is laden with lavish breakfasts reminiscent of a hotel buffet. For lunch and dinner, a barbecue station operates nonstop, serving more than the standard wings and hotdogs—steaks and other premium cuts are grilled to perfection... Additional comforts include a coffee bar with a large espresso machine, popcorn and cotton candy stations, and a lounge offering Belgian waffles and fresh pretzels.
David Turjeman, head of food services for the IDF's Southern Command, told Ynet: "You know this is Gaza, right? Yet we've created a sense of home here, with iced coffee, espresso, protein shakes, toast, shakshuka, fresh fruit, and even ice cream on warmer days."
As Palestinians suffer "complete psychological destruction" as a result of Israel's onslaught, IDF troops visiting the retreat "have access to mental health support from counselors and remote consultations." As Israeli forces besiege and attack Gaza's few remaining hospitals, the retreat offers "on-site care from a nurse and a paramedic," as well as "massages for sore backs and legs" and the services of a mobile dental clinic.
There's also a desalination plant capable of producing 60,000 liters of drinking water daily. This, as Human Rights Watch last week accused Israel of "extermination and acts of genocide" in Gaza "by intentionally depriving Palestinian civilians there of adequate access to water, most likely resulting in thousands of deaths."
Israeli soldiers expressed their surprise at the amenities available at the retreat.
"We didn't get a house, but the food is amazing, and the drinks are great," Sgt. Yaron Rabinovitch told Ynet.
Sgt. Daniel Vakrat said: "We didn't expect anything like this. It's an incredible morale booster."