‘Only the IDF can protect us’: Gaza border residents protest deployment of BoP's Gaza force

Residents from Gaza border communities, many of whom experienced the October 7 massacre, have protested the planned deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) into Gaza. They fear that the ISF's presence will not prevent future Hamas attacks and that allowing foreign forces to govern the Strip amounts to abandoning local residents' security.

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These forces [ISF] must not enter the strip. Allowing this is, once again, abandoning the local border residents. Only the IDF can protect us.

Demonstrators gathered near the Kerem Shalom Crossing, blocking roads and demanding that the ISF's entry be halted. They emphatically stated that only the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) can provide adequate protection. "Only the IDF can protect us," declared Shosh Moshe, a resident of Moshav Yesha who was present during the October 7 attacks. Protesters expressed alarm over the return of kites launched from Gaza, which they see as a precursor to further Hamas aggression.

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We will not allow others to protect us, while Hamas is celebrating the response to the kites inside the Strip.

The protest highlighted deep-seated fears among residents about Hamas's intentions and capabilities. They voiced concerns that Hamas is celebrating the response to the kite launches and warned against allowing the group to control the Strip or rebuild itself. Demonstrators carried signs with slogans such as "Stop Hamas's rehabilitation, ensure the security of residents in the South" and "Stop the entry of foreign forces into the Strip."

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We are expressing the will of the people. Hamas must not be allowed to control the Strip, and the defense of the area must not be abandoned into their hands.

Furthermore, protesters pointed to the ongoing flow of aid trucks through the Kerem Shalom Crossing, estimating that 600 trucks pass daily. They argued that Hamas profits from this aid, with funds directly supporting terrorism. "If we do not stop these aid trucks, this assistance to terrorism will continue," stated Yishai Spaz, a field director for the "Security for the Gaza Envelope" movement. The demonstrators are demanding an end to what they perceive as Hamas's rehabilitation at their expense and are calling for Israel to maintain sole responsibility for the area's defense.

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Every day, 600 supply trucks pass through here, and Hamas profits from them within a week, with direct funding going to terrorism. If we do not stop these aid trucks, this assistance to terrorism will continue.