After the Hamas-led massacre and invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel responded with continued assaults on Gaza, including aerial bombing, ground invasions, and a total blockade aimed at destroying Hamas. In the span of 12 months, this assault resulted in the deaths of approximately 42,000 Palestinians, the displacement of over 90% of Gazans, and the destruction of more than half of all buildings in Gaza (BBC Visual Journalism Team, 2024). This widespread devastation, coupled with Israel’s blockade, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis marked by famine, the spread of infectious diseases, and a collapsed healthcare system (Batrawy, 2024). To delve into the (in)humanity of this crisis, the emerging field of everyday security studies offers valuable insights. Unlike traditional security theories that focus on state actors or military institutions, everyday security studies examine the daily, routine aspects of life and their impact on security and insecurity. By analyzing the experiences of non-elite actors in Gaza, such as civilians, workers, women, and children, we can shed light on the Israeli security measures of blockade, bombing, ground invasion, surveillance, and forced displacement. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of not only the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but also other global conflicts that oppress marginalized groups through acts of everyday violence, whether in Ukraine, Kurdistan, Kashmir, or Rohingya.
Conceptualizing the Everyday
Everyday security studies represent a relatively recent development in International Relations, departing from traditional security studies by shifting the focus to individual experiences of violence and insecurity within structural contexts. Instead of analyzing macro-level political and economic forces, everyday security looks at the micro-level of daily life, exploring how civilians, workers, and others experience security and insecurity in their habitual routines. Influenced by feminist security studies and sociological perspectives, this approach emphasizes three dimensions of everyday life: mundane space, temporal routines, and affective experiences. Understanding these dimensions can provide insights into how individuals navigate security practices in response to top-down threats and uncertainties (Lemanski, 2012).
Mass Surveillance in the Gazan Panopticon
The ongoing conflict in Gaza is part of a broader settler-colonial logic that has been imposed by Israel since the 1967 Six Day War. While Hamas has maintained political control over Gaza, Israel exerts its influence through a combination of surveillance technologies, military tactics, and infrastructural violence. Utilizing advanced surveillance measures like AI-assisted cameras and drones, Israel maintains a constant watch over the population, instilling fear, uncertainty, and psychological trauma among Palestinians. The pervasive presence of drones and surveillance technologies has been linked to rising rates of mental health issues in affected communities.
Spatial Control and Displacement in the Death World
Through a complex system of spatial regulation, Israel has divided Gaza into numbered areas and established buffer zones, checkpoints, and evacuation routes controlled by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The imposition of spatial control has led to mass displacements of civilians, creating zones of insecurity and confusion. The IDF’s ‘Generals Plan’ involves blockading the North Gaza region to force Hamas into surrender, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation. This spatial control denies Gazans the ability to envision a stable future, perpetuating a sense of temporal disorientation and mandatory nomadism.
“Tent Life”
In response to the destruction caused by indiscriminate aerial bombings, Gazans have erected tent cities as a form of everyday resistance and survival strategy. These ad hoc settlements serve as a way for individuals to reclaim some sense of control amid chaos. Social media platforms have been utilized to document the daily struggles and routines within these tent cities, showcasing the resilience and resourcefulness of Gazans facing extreme adversity.
Slow Violence of Blockade
Israel’s blockade of Gaza has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with food insecurity affecting nearly half a million people. The limited aid deliveries entering Gaza are met with intense scrutiny and rejection by Israeli authorities, contributing to a slow violence that targets the population through deprivation of essential resources. Aid workers and truck drivers face constant threats from airstrikes and criminal gangs, further complicating the delivery of vital supplies.
The Right to Maim and Everyday Resistance
The concept of the ‘right to maim’ has been employed by Israel as a means of exerting biopolitical and necropolitical control over Palestinians, restricting access to food, water, and medical supplies. This deliberate strategy aims to undermine resistance while maintaining a facade of humanitarian assistance. Everyday acts of resistance, such as cultivating vegetable gardens in the midst of conflict, symbolize a defiance against the oppressive conditions imposed by settler-colonial forces. These acts of resilience and resistance offer a glimpse into the everyday struggles of Gazans as they navigate a complex web of violence and insecurity.
References
For more in-depth exploration of these critical themes, please refer to the following sources…
