Many groups are in the process of delivering aid to Gaza during the current conflict, but there is a notable absence of one group.
Hamas. Yes, Hamas. Did you know that there are billionaire members of Hamas? There are.
Many countries have mobilized efforts to get humanitarian relief to Gaza
Two shipments of much needed aid arrived in Gaza this weekend – the first since Israel started bombing the Palestinian enclave in the wake of a deadly Hamas attack on October 7. The besieged enclave, home to 2.3 million people, has been in dire need of humanitarian aid after Israel cut off food, fuel and electricity supplies before launching a military offensive.
At least eight planes carrying aid from Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and Tunisia have landed at El Arish International Airport in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. India has sent medical and disaster relief to El Arish on Sunday.The European Union is launching an air bridge and has tripled its assistance to the territory.
As of 2021 Gaza was raking it in
— From 2014-2020, U.N. agencies spent nearly $4.5 billion in Gaza, including $600 million in 2020 alone. More than 80% of that funding is channeled through the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, who make up three-fourths of Gaza’s population. Some 280,000 children in Gaza attend schools run by UNRWA, which also provides health services and food aid.
— Qatar has provided $1.3 billion in aid to Gaza since 2012 for construction, health services and agriculture. That includes $360 million pledged in January for 2021 and another $500 million pledged for reconstruction after the war in May. Qatar’s aid also goes to needy families and to help pay Hamas government salaries.
— The Palestinian Authority says it will spend $1.7 billion on Gaza this year, mainly on salaries for tens of thousands of civil servants who stopped working when Hamas took over in 2007.
Since 1994 the US has sent over $5 billion in aid to Palestinians. The US is the biggest donor to the Palestinians. The Arabs, not so much.
The United States is the leading nation in terms of aid given to the Palestinians, followed by various European countries. The 22-nation Arab League, on the other hand, has reportedly provided less than 50% of the funds it pledged to the Palestinian cause.
Our “ally” Qatar is the current major financial backer of Hamas.
Where has all that money gone?
Mostly to Hamas. Hamas itself has done nothing for Palestinians, despite its enormous wealth. Hamas is reported to have a net worth of about $1 billion. Terrorism beeen berry berry good to many of Hamas’ leaders. Their net worths are staggering:
Dr. Musa Abu Marzook, the number 2 man in Hamas: $2-3 billion
Khaled Mashaal, Hamas’ leader: $2.6 billion
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh: $4 million
Iman Taha, Hamas official: >$1 million
What are they not doing with the money?
Despite the considerable Hamas net worth, a considerable portion of the Palestinian population continues to live in poverty. Unemployment rates in the West Bank and Gaza are about 30%, and approximately 60% of the Palestinian population lives under the international poverty line of $2 per day. This discrepancy suggests a significant misuse and misdirection of the funds Hamas controls.
The corruption is not dissimilar to Ukraine, but Hamas is inhuman.
Instead of building a desalinization plant, they’re building bombs. Instead of infrastructure, they’re buying guns. Instead of building electrical plants, they’re digging tunnels. Instead of educating children and building proper schools and civilian shelters, they’re buying rockets. Rockets the one thing they never seem to run out of.
BTW, most Palestinians support Hamas. Jordan Schactel:
There have been no elections in the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank since 2005. There have been no elections in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip since 2006, in the aftermath of Israel’s unilateral disengagement from the territory.
This leaves many wondering how the results would pan out if the Palestinian political entities held elections today.
Have the Palestinian people come around to a more peaceful and tolerant approach to dealing with their Israeli neighbors, as some in the West have suggested?
…
A new PSR survey came out on September 13, just three weeks before the Hamas massacre. That survey, and many completed before it, showed the same, troubling result: the majority of Palestinians prefer a jihadist to lead their people. A plurality of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza (34%) prefer Marwan Barghouti to lead the Palestinian people in a united government.
Hamas does deserve to be exterminated.
A baby was found in an oven, baked to death by Hamas terrorists, leading Israeli first responder @EliBeerUH recounted to an @RJC gathering last night.
His group was among the first to respond to and witness the Oct 7 atrocities.
— Dovid Efune (@Efune) October 29, 2023
The October 7 attack on Israel has the same MO as most Islamic jihadi aggressions. They provoke and provoke and when there is a response they claim victimhood. People are fungible. And they’re still launching missiles into Israel.
Closing thoughts
- Why is it that the same people who demand inclusion and admonish us that not all Palestinians are Hamas attack Jews indiscriminately?
- There are about 50 Muslim nations in the world but not one will accept Palestinian refugees. Why? We should not.
- Why isn’t Biden more concerned about the American hostages?
- If Hamas doesn’t care about Palestinians, why should we?
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 40 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 45 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter who is in the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.
Dr John, to my recollection, no one has put this together before you did right here.
You make a valuable point.
Hamas doesn’t care about the people of Gaza.
They are led by kleptocrats.
And the Palestinian Authority?
Paying over $100 million a year for old gov’t workers NOT TO WORK every year for 13-plus years!
When Israel gives Gaza new PVC pipe for the people to have water from their taps in their homes, what does Hamas do?
Takes those pipes and makes rockets out of them!
A Bible verse says, “when the ruler is evil, the people suffer.”
Couldn’t see a better example.
Anyone marching and protesting in favor of Hamas, who are terrorists that murder, rape, behead, kill babies, burn people alive, torture and mutilate, then they should each and every one be put on a terrorist watch list. If you align yourself with known and proven terrorists, you are inclined to terrorism yourself.
Seems most billionaires care little about ‘their own’ – https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-the-phenomenal-wealth-of-hamas-leaders-1000957953 The same can be said about others [looking at you, Soros].
There’s a “talking point,” or “narrative,” here that’s different from the one in Gaza.
In Gaza it’s “from the river to the sea,” but here it’s Palestinian genocide must stop.”
What genocide?
From 1951-1968 Gaza grew from 278,000 to 354,760 or an increase of 28%
From 1969-1987 Gaza grew from 354,760 to 868,100 or 144%
From 1987-2005 Gaza grew from 868,100 to 1,500,000 or 72%
From 2005-2023 Gaza grew from 1,500,000 to 2,380,000 or 58%
These are not normal numbers.
And these huge growth levels are alongside unemployment rates from 50% to 80%.
Before 2006, there were 80,000 government workers in the pay of the Palestinian Authority.
Since then the PA pays their salaries altho they are not working under Hamas.
Most of Gaza’s needs are imported through the largesse of Europe and the United States. ….. that’s how all those Hamas billionaires were created.
People in Gaza are willing to live at lower wages scales if they do not have to exert themselves even if it means they become human shields for Hamas every now and then.
IDF guards the Gazan people who wish to flee south away from the fighting.
Gazans have told Israeli intelligence operatives that Hamas has confiscated car keys and that Hamas is shooting at those who are trying to evacuate.
https://t.co/oB9l5idqSq
So, who are the “humanitarians?”
People, like joe, who want to give Hamas three days to re-arm?
Or Israel that protects these people, even warning them.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-tens-of-thousands-of-palestinians-escape-northern-gaza-after-israel-opens-evacuation-corridor