I’ve fallen a bit behind so some of these are a few weeks old. That said, for the purpose of bearing witness it’s not about the most recent news. I just want to note and share what’s happening.

#Gaza

Dozens of Elderly Gazans ‘Executed’ by Israeli Troops: Monitor

“Alarmingly, however, dozens were targeted in killings and field executions,” the NGO alleged. “These incidents included soldiers shooting elderly people immediately after ordering them to evacuate their homes, and in some cases, executing them just moments after their release from hours or days of arbitrary detention.”

CNN Film Shows Horror of Israel’s War on Gaza… Finally, CNN gets a film crew on the ground in Gaza.

What to know about U.S. aid to Israel

What the U.S. provides

**Most U.S. assistance comes in the form **of weapons grants, and more than 80% of Israel’s weapons imports came from the U.S. between 1950 and 2020.

  • Israel is also given access to the most advanced military equipment in the world, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

What to know about Israel’s military strength

Israel has for decades established itself as one of the most formidable and technologically advanced military powers in the Middle East.

Why it matters: With an annual military budget exceeding $20 billion and access to some of the most advanced U.S. military hardware, Israel controls the skies and much of the sea around its territory, and it has superior cyber capabilities.

  • The military arm of Hamas has for more than three decades relied on a guerrilla-warfare-style strategy using rockets, snipers, improvised explosive devices and underground tunnels in attacks against Israel.
  • The Israeli military has maintained near total control over the borders and movement of people, goods and security in Gaza since 2007.