He then told us that in order to be allowed to pass through the checkpoint unharmed, we had to chant slogans against the resistance: “The people want the overthrow of Hamas,” and “God is sufficient for us, and he is the best disposer of affairs against Hamas and the Qassam Brigades” (appropriating a line from the Qur’an). The officer insisted on the repetition of these slogans; only after more than 45 minutes did the soldiers permit women and children to pass, while men were kept behind.

He then told us that in order to be allowed to pass through the checkpoint unharmed, we had to chant slogans against the resistance: “The people want the overthrow of Hamas,” and “God is sufficient for us, and he is the best disposer of affairs against Hamas and the Qassam Brigades” (appropriating a line from the Qur’an). The officer insisted on the repetition of these slogans; only after more than 45 minutes did the soldiers permit women and children to pass, while men were kept behind.

Qdeih emphasizes that many of the people repeated the slogans merely to comply with the soldiers and safely cross the checkpoint. “Our hearts are with the resistance in all its actions, and with the steadfastness on the ground, despite being displaced from one place to another,” she added.

“Several days ago, tanks bombed the UNRWA Training College, which was very close to where we were staying,” Bakr continued. “We saw the tents of other displaced people burning, people screaming because of injuries, and people who were killed. It was a shock to us. A safe area is suddenly transformed into a war zone; they were not told to evacuate. 

Habib reported that between Jan. 21-Feb. 1, the hospital received approximately 157 martyrs and 450 wounded people, while many more dead and wounded are lying on the streets out of the reach of ambulance crews who are being targeted by the Israeli army if they leave the hospital.

Source: Palestinians abused, forced to chant anti-Hamas slogans in ‘safe corridor’