“Absolutely Genocidal”: Mouin Rabbani on “Gideon’s Chariots,” Israel’s Latest Escalation of War on Gaza

Palestinians in Gaza are fleeing Khan Younis after the Israeli military issued expulsion orders for the besieged territory’s second-largest city. This comes as Israel’s bombardment of Gaza intensifies, killing hundreds of Palestinians over the weekend, including at least five journalists. Health facilities have been under constant attack. Israel on Sunday announced the start of a renewed ground invasion it calls Operation Gideon’s Chariots. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said Sunday that Israel would allow limited food supplies into Gaza as the population of more than 2 million faces famine after 11 weeks of a total Israeli blockade, but there are few details about when such aid shipments could arrive. Gaza’s Health Ministry confirms Israel has killed at least 53,300 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023, a death toll believed to be a vast undercount.
“The situation, as anyone who’s following the news can see, is thoroughly apocalyptic,” says Middle East analyst Mouin Rabbani. “There is not only an unprecedented siege, but also an unprecedented intensification of Israel’s genocidal military campaign in the Gaza Strip.” Rabbani also stresses that any progress on aid, lifting the siege or reaching a ceasefire is dependent on the Trump administration using its leverage over Israel. “It will take no more than a phone call from Washington,” he says.