Israeli soldiers eat jelly doughnuts near the Gaza border

 (Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

As Palestinians Starve and Freeze, Israeli Troops Unwind at Gaza 'Beachfront Resort'

"And U.S. taxpayers are funding this," fumed one critic.

As the people of Gaza suffer hell on Earth, Israeli soldiers committing what the world increasingly recognizes as a genocide against them can now kick back and relax at a beachfront resort in the embattled strip and enjoy treated water from a desalination plant while Palestinians die from lack of water, food, and other necessities.

The Israeli outlet Ynet reported Thursday that Israel Defense Forces troops in northern Gaza are relaxing at a "beachfront resort" located "amid the devastation" wrought by the IDF's U.S.-backed 445-day assault, which, according to Gazan and international agencies, has left more than 164,000 Palestinians dead, maimed, or missing; millions more forcibly displaced, starved, or sickened; and most of the coastal enclave in ruins.

According to Ynet:

Throughout the retreat, beanbags are scattered for lounging. One soldier relaxes with an iced energy drink, while another enjoys a hot cappuccino paired with meringue cookies. Soldiers can shower and use pristine restroom facilities that feel "just like home." In the center of the green lawn, a long table is laden with lavish breakfasts reminiscent of a hotel buffet. For lunch and dinner, a barbecue station operates nonstop, serving more than the standard wings and hotdogs—steaks and other premium cuts are grilled to perfection... Additional comforts include a coffee bar with a large espresso machine, popcorn and cotton candy stations, and a lounge offering Belgian waffles and fresh pretzels.

David Turjeman, head of food services for the IDF's Southern Command, told Ynet: "You know this is Gaza, right? Yet we've created a sense of home here, with iced coffee, espresso, protein shakes, toast, shakshuka, fresh fruit, and even ice cream on warmer days."

As Palestinians suffer "complete psychological destruction" as a result of Israel's onslaught, IDF troops visiting the retreat "have access to mental health support from counselors and remote consultations." As Israeli forces besiege and attack Gaza's few remaining hospitals, the retreat offers "on-site care from a nurse and a paramedic," as well as "massages for sore backs and legs" and the services of a mobile dental clinic.

There's also a desalination plant capable of producing 60,000 liters of drinking water daily. This, as Human Rights Watch last week accused Israel of "extermination and acts of genocide" in Gaza "by intentionally depriving Palestinian civilians there of adequate access to water, most likely resulting in thousands of deaths."

Israeli soldiers expressed their surprise at the amenities available at the retreat.

"We didn't get a house, but the food is amazing, and the drinks are great," Sgt. Yaron Rabinovitch told Ynet.

Sgt. Daniel Vakrat said: "We didn't expect anything like this. It's an incredible morale booster."

COMMON DREAMS

 

Details emerge of Israel’s Nuseirat refugee camp massacre

in Palestine

by Andre Damon

11/06/2024

Details have begun to emerge of Israel’s massacre at the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza Saturday, in which 274 people were killed and hundreds more were injured.

The Washington Post confirmed Sunday that Israeli forces used civilian vehicles in the military operation and that the operation was staged near the “humanitarian” port built by the US military. Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers pretended to be refugees before opening fire on the camp.

The massacre was carried out under the pretext of a “hostage rescue,” although nearly as many hostages (three) were killed during the massacre as were rescued (four).

According to US media accounts, the massacre, which killed or injured nearly 1,000 and destroyed nearly 100 buildings, aimed to simply destroy everything in the path of the Israeli commando team. “The air force started shooting to give them a corridor, a wall of fire,” retired IDF Maj. Gen. David Tsur told the Washington Post.

The IDF boasts of close US collaboration in the massacre. It reported that “the US hostage cell played a decisive role in freeing the hostages” and that it used “high-precision American technology that had not been used before in the process of freeing the hostages.”

The Pentagon denied direct US military participation in the attack. “The pier facility, including its equipment, personnel and assets, were not used in the [Israeli military’s] operation to rescue hostages in Gaza,” said Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder.

He admitted, however, “there was some type of helicopter activity” by the IDF near the pier, but claimed this was “not associated” with the US military.

The Euro-Med Monitor reported that “massive, indiscriminate air and artillery attacks were launched by the Israeli army during the operation in order to conceal the withdrawal of Israeli forces.”

The massacre sent a flood of wounded people into Gaza’s overloaded hospital system. “We placed the injured along the internal corridors and in between beds. There is no room at all inside this hospital. We had them sleep in external tents,” Dr. Khalil al-Dakran of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital told Al Jazeera, noting that there are four times more wounded people at the hospital than beds.

“It’s a nightmare at Al-Aqsa,” said Samuel Johann, a Doctors Without Borders coordinator in Gaza. “There have been back-to-back mass casualties as densely populated areas are bombed. It’s way beyond what anyone could deal with in a functional hospital, let alone with the scarce resources we have here. How many more men, women and children have to be killed before world leaders decide to put an end to this massacre?”

“Israel committed a massacre in Nuseirat,” said Khalil al-Degran, spokesman for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital on Saturday. “In this terrible state … the hospital cannot absorb the number of dead and injured. The hospital has been at full capacity for weeks.”

Karin Huster of Doctors Without Borders told the Associated Press in an interview, “We had the gamut of war wounds, trauma wounds, from amputations to eviscerations to trauma, to TBIs (traumatic brain injuries), fractures and, obviously, big burns… Kids completely gray or white from the shock, burnt, screaming for their parents. Many of them are not screaming because they are in shock.”

Some 274 Palestinians were killed during the massacre and another 700 were wounded. The dead included 64 children and 57 women. “The streets are filled with dead bodies,” one witness told the Associated Press. Eighty-nine homes or residential buildings had been bombed during the massacre.

In an interview given to The Intercept, witness Abu Nasser declared, “The area turned to ashes… I couldn’t find my wife and started calling out to those around me to ensure they were still alive.”

Paraphrasing Nasser, The Intercept wrote, “The streets were filled by a swarm of quadcopter drones equipped with small arms. Tank tracks could be heard nearby. U.S.-made Apache attack helicopters hovered. Nearby homes were hit with missiles.”

Nasser continued, “We heard people crying for help in the bombed houses… They had martyrs and injuries, but we couldn’t help them… The street was filled with civilian body parts … and many injuries bleeding out without ambulances being able to reach them.”

Martin Griffiths, UN under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs, declared that the Nuseirat camp is the “epicenter of the seismic trauma that civilians in Gaza continue to suffer.” He added, “The images of death and devastation following Israel’s military operation there prove that each day this war continues, it only grows more horrific. Seeing shrouded bodies on the ground, we are reminded that nowhere is safe in Gaza. Seeing bloodied patients being treated on hospital floors, we are reminded that healthcare in Gaza is hanging by a thread.”

Since the start of the genocide, at least 37,124 Palestinians have been killed and 84,712 injured in Gaza, with countless more missing and presumed dead.

In a statement Sunday, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) called for an independent international inquiry into Israeli massacres at Palestinian hospitals, where hundreds of mass graves have been discovered.

“Israel has attacked nearly every hospital in Gaza. Hundreds of health workers and patients have been killed and detained. The discovery of mass graves in two hospitals further demonstrates that the protected status of healthcare in Gaza under international law has totally failed, with harrowing results,” said MAP’s director of advocacy Rohan Talbot.

“The families of the dead deserve to know the truth of what happened to their loved ones, and to have justice wherever serious violations of international law have occurred. This can only be achieved through thorough, prompt and impartial investigations,” he said. “The international community must therefore demand access to Gaza for independent investigators and forensic experts, so that evidence can be preserved and accountability pursued,” Talbot added.

Non-stop Israeli bombardment across the devastated Palestinian territory has continued in the aftermath of the raid. “Israeli bombardment from the air, land, and sea continues to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure,” the United Nations reported Monday.

Originally published by WSWS.ORG

Palestinians help a wounded man after Israeli strikes in Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 8, 2024 [AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi]

COUNTER CURRENTS

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Inside Biden’s Bay State swing

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY Presented by  MONEY, PLEASE — Maura Healey asked Bay State Democrats to “pull out all the stops” for Joe Biden as she introduced the president at his final fundraiser Tuesday night. They already have. The receptions Biden attended in Boston are expected to raise over $6 million for the Biden Victory Fund, his campaign’s joint fundraising operation, two people with knowledge of the fundraisers told Playbook. It’s a staggering sum in a state where Biden routinely flies in for fundraisers, showing depth to his support in this deep-blue bastion — financially and otherwise. And the show of force comes one day after new federal campaign finance filings showed Biden’s political operation trailing Trump’s in fundraising for the first time in this election cycle. Biden’s swing through Boston began with some tarmac conversation with Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. He was soon whisked away to an intimate Back Bay gathering organized by Audrey and Mark Schuster, the scion of a longtime Democratic family who has long backed Biden and who worked to recruit new donors for this event, and Lizbeth and George Krupp and Judith and Douglas Krupp, according to a person familiar with its planning. Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu greeted President Joe Biden at Logan Airport and attended campaign fundraising events with him throughout the city on Tuesday. | Alex Brandon/AP His evening ended at the Seaport Hotel, where Biden posed for photos with donors and famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed to a room of more than 300 people after the president’s speech. “I’m a Delaware guy,” Biden told supporters in Back Bay. “But there’s something special about this city.” In her Seaport speech, a highly enthusiastic Healey urged Democrats and donors to dig deeper — and not just into their bank accounts. She echoed Biden in imploring voters to view this election as a stark contrast between the president and his predecessor. And the governor, who is often reticent to share details of her personal life, recounted how she and her partner, Joanna Lydgate, “teared up” when they walked hand in hand into a White House dinner under a president who has taken significant steps to support the LGBTQ community . “In this moment, Massachusetts, I ask you to dig deep and think long and hard about everything you’ve grown up with and everything you’ve fought for, everything that maybe you took for granted when we pledged that allegiance,” implored Healey, who took the stage to a standing ovation. “Do you want your girls to grow up in a world with equal pay? … Do we want communities that ban books?” Healey was preaching to the choir. Outside of those friendly confines, Biden was facing some blowback. Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters rallied outside South Station during Biden’s visit, jeering the president as his motorcade rolled by and, later, briefly blocking traffic . “He has abandoned the Palestinian people, he has abandoned humanity, he has abandoned his constituency,” Naphtali Crosby, an organizer with the Boston chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, yelled into a microphone. “And we’re abandoning you, Joe Biden.” Pro-Palestinian protestors rallied outside Boston's South Station as President Joe Biden's motorcade drove by. | Kelly Garrity/POLITICO GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. We’ve got more from Biden’s visit and fresh polling from New Hampshire down below. TODAY — Healey speaks at the South Shore Chamber of Commerce at 9 a.m. in Kingston. She and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll highlight the state’s mental health resources at 12:10 p.m. in New Bedford. Driscoll chairs a Governor's Council meeting at 9:30 a.m. and visits the Marion Maritime Center for a grant round opening announcement at 1 p.m. Rep. Ayanna Pressley holds a press conference to urge the Biden administration to terminate the government’s contract with federal student loan servicer MOHELA at 9 a.m. in D.C. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is on WBUR's "Radio Boston" at 11 a.m. Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Email us: lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com.   A message from NextEra Energy: With a presence in 49 states, NextEra Energy is one of the nation’s largest capital investors in infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs and generating millions of dollars in new tax revenue for communities across the U.S. We generate more electricity from the wind and sun than anyone in the world as we work toward securing America’s energy independence and security with clean and emission-free low-cost energy.   MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANITE STATE OF PLAY — “President Biden in N.H. touts expanded VA benefits: ‘We leave no veteran behind’,” by Steven Porter, The Boston Globe: “While his speech was part of an official visit to promote the PACT Act and celebrate more than 1 million claims being granted under the law, it also carried a message his supporters hope will translate to the campaign trail, as he faces off again with presumptive Republican nominee Donald J. Trump. ‘He cares about veterans. He’s always cared about veterans,’ said William H. Shaheen, a Democratic National Committee member and veteran who is married to Senator Jeanne Shaheen.” Why Biden's veteran-focused visit matters: “A lot of veterans in New Hampshire are independents, and they tend to be in that swing category of moderates,” Jim Demers , a longtime Democratic strategist who is backing Biden, told Playbook in Nashua. Right now, Biden is leading Trump by 6 points in a new UMass Lowell/YouGov survey of likely voters in this swing state that’s trending blue in federal elections. ONLINE SURVEY? ALWAYS QUESTION THE VALIDITY!  Voters who support RFK JR should scrutinize his LIES, CONTRADICTORY COMMENTS and DISINFORMATION! But the online survey shared first with Playbook, which was conducted May 6-14 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.24 percentage points, also shows the incumbent facing some uncertainty in the state he carried by 8 points in 2020. While Biden leads Trump 42 percent to 36 percent, 11 percent of likely voters supported independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and 9 percent were undecided. Just 36 percent of respondents approve even somewhat of Biden’s job performance. And his favorability rating is underwater. Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas presents a potential problem for him in New Hampshire, too: 65 percent of those surveyed said it would make them “somewhat” or “much” less likely to vote for him come November. And 76 percent said they support an immediate, permanent cease-fire in Gaza. MEANWHILE, BACK IN BOSTON — “ Biden hits Trump over ‘unified Reich’ video but stays silent on trial,” by Lisa Kashinsky and Jonathan Lemire, POLITICO. YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS JOHN DEATON, CARPET BAGGER, VOTED 3 TIMES IN 20 YEARS! GROSSLY UNINFORMED! FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Former Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito is co-headlining a fundraiser for Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Deaton on June 13, according to an invitation obtained by Playbook. Tickets range from $100 to $6,600, the federal limit, for the event at Piccolo’s in Worcester. Polito has been serving as an informal adviser to Deaton, a first-time candidate and newly minted Republican who moved to Massachusetts to try and take on Sen. Elizabeth Warren . BUILDING OUT THE BALLOT — Quincy City Council President Ian Cain FLIP FLOPPER! is officially on the ballot for the GOP U.S. Senate primary, Secretary of State Bill Galvin ’s office confirmed. Cain joins Deaton and conservative activist Robert Antonellis . More MAGA GOP CLOWNS!  DO YOUR RESEARCH, "R" VOTERS! Robert Antonellis BALLOTPEDIA   THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists. Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY .     DATELINE BEACON HILL MONEY MOVES — Senators made it through more than 300 of the 1,110 amendments during their first official day of budget debate Tuesday, adding two bundles of amendments to their spending plan. They pick things back up again at 10 a.m. MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS MASSACHUSETS, SPECIFICALLY CAPE COD, HAS A SEVERE WORKER SHORTAGE THAT THREATENS THE TOURIST INDUSTRY! A RECENT REPORT INDICATED THAT FAMILIES BEING SHELTERED WERE HALF FROM MASSACHUSETTS!  LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS & NOT REGURGITATE MAGA GOP PROPAGANDA! WE NEED WORKERS! — “Cape Cod shelter proposal leaves residents in the dust amid Massachusetts migrant crisis,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “A proposed family homeless shelter on Cape Cod that would be funded through the state’s emergency housing assistance program has hit a roadblock after officials and residents raised sharp concerns. The Dennis Planning Board is appealing the project which looks to convert a former nursing home into a ‘family transitional shelter’ that would house up to 79 homeless families, mostly single mothers with infants and young children.”   A message from NextEra Energy:     FROM THE HUB TAX TALK — Some of Boston’s business leaders are meeting this morning to talk “alternative solutions” to the possible budget problems the city could see from declining commercial property values. The home-rule petition Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is pushing that would let the city shift more of the tax burden onto commercial properties to avoid a spike in residential property tax has been met with some raised eyebrows. Boston Municipal Research Bureau’s Marty Walz and Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce CEO Jim Rooney , who have both expressed concern about the proposal, are on the panel (organized by the commercial real estate association NAIOP) this morning, as is Daniel Swift of the tax consulting firm Ryan, who recently put out a report warning the petition would “increase the already exorbitant tax burden” on the city’s commercial sector. — “Boston Public Schools makes uneven progress under 2-year-old state improvement plan,” by James Vaznis, The Boston Globe: “Two years after acceding to a state-imposed improvement plan, Boston Public Schools has made progress in some areas but fallen short in others, including overhauling transportation, facilities and programs for students with disabilities and English learners, local and state education leaders said Tuesday. … Acting Education Commissioner Russell Johnston, who has played a critical role in overseeing the Boston improvement plan over the last two years, said the state and the district have formed a strong partnership and meet frequently.” — “‘This is a marathon, not a sprint’: For Boston reparations task force, redress is a work in progress,” by Tiana Woodard, The Boston Globe.  — “Mayor Wu kicks off city's plan to mitigate community violence this summer,” by Katie Cole and Stevee Chapman, WBUR. OH! PALEEZE! NOT ANOTHER WEALTHY WANNABEE! — “Is Josh Kraft mulling a run for mayor? Many Boston political insiders seem to think so,” by Nikki Griswold, The Boston Globe. ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — “Wellfleet voters approve support for Gaza ceasefire, pesticide reduction,” by Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times: “Wellfleet resident Farrukh Najmi made a motion to support an enduring ceasefire in Gaza at Monday's town meeting. His granddaughter was born around the time Hamas militants stormed into nearby Israeli towns on Oct. 7. He said he's been on pins and needles since then, watching the news and reading about the suffering in Gaza. … The article passed. A copy of the resolution will be sent to federal legislators and President Biden urging them to use their position to enact a sustained ceasefire .” — “Protesters at rally at Baystate hospital highlight plight of health care in Gaza, call out Neal, American Medical Association,” by James Pentland, Daily Hampshire Gazette.  Protesters at rally at Baystate hospital highlight plight of health care in Gaza, call out Neal, American Medical Association Priscilla Lynch holds a sign with Emily Greene at a rally protesting the destruction of health care in Gaza in front of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield Tuesday morning. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS Moshe Ronen counter protests at a rally protesting the destruction of health care in Gaza in front of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield Tuesday morning. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS Celadry June holds a free Palestine sign at a rally protesting the destruction of health care in Gaza in front of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield Tuesday morning. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS By JAMES PENTLAND Staff Writer Published: 05-21-2024 1:36 PM Modified: 05-21-2024 3:51 PM facebook Gaza SPRINGFIELD — Calling for an end to the destruction of hospitals and health care in Gaza, a dozen protesters gathered with songs and banners in front of Baystate Medical Center Tuesday morning. “If this were Palestine, we wouldn’t have this hospital,” rally organizer Dodi Melnicoff said. “The doctors would be gone, the EMTs would be bombed on their way to help people.” Protesters sought to focus their demands on the American Medical Association and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal of Springfield, calling on the AMA to issue a strong statement condemning the destruction in Gaza and on Neal to stop voting to fund weapons for Israel. Melnicoff and others say the U.S. is violating the Leahy Law, which prohibits the U.S. government from supplying military aid to foreign armies engaged in gross violations of human rights. As a member of the Leahy Fast for Palestine Committee, Nick Mottern of Northampton has been fasting from dawn to dusk since Dec. 14. He castigated President Biden for condemning the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor’s recent call for arrest warrants to be issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders on war crimes charges. Mottern in turn called for the arrest of Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as accomplices to mass murder, and said Massachusetts’ congressional representatives “look the other way” while the U.S. violates its own laws. Neal’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The congressman was scheduled to appear Tuesday in Springfield to celebrate funding for Union Station improvements. He also spoke at a City Hall event to announce a new community center at Baystate. The AMA said in a statement that its board of trustees “shares many of the same concerns raised” by the protesters. Article continues after... Yesterday's Most Read Articles Hadley’s Hampshire Mall faces foreclosure UMass faculty, librarians vote no confidence in chancellor over protest breakup South Hadley elementary school staff vote no confidence in principal As Asparagus Festival nears, concerns aired over use of Town Common Hampshire Regional student-athletes sign letters of intent Stephen B. Constant: Applauds UMass response to protests “We appreciate the passion and urgency expressed by people who care deeply about the ongoing violence in the Middle East,” the association stated. In a statement issued Nov. 9, the AMA said it “stands with the physicians and health care personnel who are on the frontlines of this crisis.” The assault on Gaza began with a Hamas attack in Israel Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. The military campaign has sparked a humanitarian crisis that has displaced much of the coastal enclave’s population and driven parts of it to starvation. Additionally, almost 500 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces since the start of hostilities. The United Nations announced Tuesday that it has suspended food distribution in the southern Gaza city of Rafah due to lack of supplies and insecurity. It also said no aid trucks entered via a pier set up by the U.S. for sea deliveries for the past two days. Across Chestnut Street from the Baystate rally, four counterprotesters waved Israeli and U.S. flags. Gerry Berg of Enfield, Connecticut, said they were there to support Neal and to support the hospital. Jackie Brickell of Springfield said that if Hamas didn’t hide in Gaza’s hospitals they wouldn’t be bombed. FALSE STATEMENT! ISRAEL TORTURED, KILLED HOSPITAL STAFF, CONDUCTED MASS EXECUTIONS! MASS GRAVES ARE BEING UNCOVERED ON HOSPITAL GROUNDS.... ACTUALLY, ISRAEL CREATED HAMAS! THE FACTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO REFUSE TO BLINDLY FOLLOW ISRAEL'S PROPAGANDA!  “They don’t care how many people are killed,” she said, referring to Hamas. Israel has consistently said attacks on hospitals are justified because Hamas and other militant groups are embedded inside them. News organizations are unable to verify these claims, which are rejected by hospital staff. Brickell said the pro-Palestinian protesters “just want to get rid of Israel.”  FALSE! Melnicoff, of Greenfield, who said she comes from a family of Eastern European Jews, cast the conflict in historical terms, saying the seeds were sown long ago. Her father, who fought in World War II, was never in favor of displacing a people for the creation of Israel, she said. “Israel with U.S. funding and backing is waging a war on children and women, maiming more than 700,000 with no way out and no fully functioning hospital,” she said in a statement. As of May there were 15 hospitals out of 36 in Gaza partially functioning, according to the World Health Organization and communication from hospitals. Functioning hospitals are severely overcrowded and have faced shortages of important supplies, according to relief groups. Greenfield musician Ben Grosscup said he has been involved in the movement for Palestinian rights for 23 years. He writes some of his own protest songs and collects others. There is war and killing in many places, he noted, but he sees Gaza as the place where U.S. military involvement is causing the most harm. “There’s an intimate and grotesque connection between weapons production and the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza,” he said. Tuesday’s rally was organized by Demilitarize Western Mass. and Code Pink Western Mass. Mottern said organizers might start the protest earlier in the day next time, to catch nurses on both sides of the shift change. Israel’s “conscious destruction of hospitals in Gaza” hits home for nurses, he said. He said some people ask him why he keeps protesting when nothing seems to change. “There’s so much pressure to normalize this,” he said. “We can’t get comfortable with killing. It doesn’t change the fact that people are being slaughtered.” Material from The Washington Post and The Associated Press was used in this report. James Pentland can be reached at jpentland@gazettenet.com. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “MeVa to expand services with $1.9M grant,” by Mike LaBella, The Eagle-Tribune: “A state grant of $1.9 million will enable the Merrimack Valley Transit (MeVa) to expand two routes that will open the door to job opportunities and training and help workers retain jobs they already have. … The money comes from $37 million in grant funding to support regional public transportation announced last week by the Healey-Driscoll Administration.”   DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT : The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE .     FROM THE 413 — “Federal judge dismisses dueling lawsuits by embattled Springfield cop Gregg Bigda and city,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “A federal judge dismissed opposing lawsuits by embattled Springfield Police Officer Gregg Bigda and the city over Bigda’s employment status, but the ruling hasn’t quelled the longstanding skirmish.” THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Turf war erupts between elected Quincy officials,” by Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger: “A rift between the city council and school committee has opened over a measure to close Quincy's public schools for Lunar New Year, a holiday widely celebrated among the two-fifths of district students who identify as Asian. They are the largest single ethnic group within the student body.” 40% OF THE STUDENT POPULATION IS ASIAN!  — “Female inmates sue over jail relocations,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune. — “‘A huge loss for the town’: For first time in two decades, no women are on Brookline’s Select Board,” by Sam Mintz, Brookline News.   A message from NextEra Energy: Leading America with safe, reliable and affordable clean energy The need for reliable, low-cost clean energy in America has never been greater – and NextEra Energy is ready to deliver it. Millions of Americans depend on us to power their lives in good weather and bad. By investing in resilient, storm-tested infrastructure and harnessing innovative technology, we’re keeping reliability high and bills low. We are also working toward securing America’s energy independence and security with clean and emission-free low-cost energy. We’ve virtually eliminated foreign oil from our power plants and, today, generate more electricity from the wind and sun than anyone in the world – while continuing lead in battery storage technology.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Kristen Orthman, White House principal deputy communications director and an Elizabeth Warren alum; former state Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, Noah Feldman, The Boston Globe’s Shira Schoenberg, Casey Pease, Juli Hanscom, Mary Dooe, The Globe’s Christina Prignano Deering, Oren Cass, Peter Weissenstein and former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman. Happy belated to Nicole Freedman, who celebrated Tuesday. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? 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