By Matt Underwood UNICEF says Israel is currently blocking the delivery of one million syringes needed to vaccinate children in Gaza. It’s a stark reality, and it immediately raises questions, especially considering the urgent need for medical supplies in the area. Why would such a seemingly innocuous item be prevented from entering Gaza?
The explanation given by UNICEF is that both the syringes and other essential items like refrigerators are considered “dual-use” items by Israel. Now, I have to be honest, I’m scratching my head a bit here. The idea that a syringe, a device designed specifically for injecting medicine, could have some other, malicious purpose is difficult to grasp. What could it possibly be used for? And the same goes for refrigerators, essential for storing vaccines to keep them viable. The notion of “dual-use” feels like a flimsy excuse, a bureaucratic hurdle designed to obstruct the flow of vital aid.
This situation fuels a sense of needless cruelty. It’s difficult not to view this as a deliberate act, a calculated effort to create hardship and further exacerbate the already dire conditions in Gaza. There’s a certain pattern of behavior here, a chilling echo of past actions that have been described as acts of inhumanity. It feels like a policy of making life as difficult as possible, a tactic that seems to serve no logical purpose beyond causing suffering.
The claim of “dual-use” feels particularly weak when you consider that these are children who need to be vaccinated. Disease could spread rapidly and impact them severely. The argument that syringes could be used for other purposes seems like a stretch, especially when the consequences of withholding them are so clear.
It’s worth pausing to consider the context. This isn’t just about syringes; it’s about a broader pattern of obstruction when it comes to medical supplies. The same arguments about “dual-use” have been used to block other essential items, including baby formula, creating further hardship for families. It’s hard not to conclude that the goal is the depopulation of Gaza through means other than direct bombing campaigns.
The implication is that medical supplies could be diverted for use by Hamas, perhaps as a way to treat their fighters. If that were the case, what does it say about the people that have to be treated? That they will fight to the death because they have no other choice? This, of course, ignores the fundamental humanitarian needs of the civilian population. If there is a legitimate concern, it’s about the broader crisis, the lack of healthcare, the constant threat of violence, and the desperate circumstances that drive people to conflict.
It’s a tragic reminder of the devastating impact of conflict on innocent civilians.