‘We will stop it’: Gaza border residents protest outside international force base
Gaza envelope residents block aid trucks outside the international force base at Kerem Shalom, warning against rebuilding Gaza before Hamas is disarmed
Assessment
Residents of communities directly adjacent to Gaza are taking physical protest action at the Kerem Shalom crossing, targeting the international force stationed there. Their core demand is that no reconstruction effort proceed while Hamas retains military capability. This protest signals growing grassroots impatience with what they see as premature rehabilitation efforts that could let Hamas regroup. The key question is whether this local pressure will influence government policy on linking humanitarian aid to disarmament.