Al-Thawabta: Israeli measures against returnees to Gaza constitute psychological intimidation

Ismail al-Thawabta, Director General of the Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip, described on Tuesday the Israeli measures against Palestinian citizens returning to the Strip as “a clear attempt to instill a message of psychological intimidation, implying that returning home is fraught with danger and pressure.”

Al-Thawabta told Sanad News Agency that the Israeli enemy continues to implement systematic policies of inspection, interrogation, and harassment against those returning through the Rafah land crossing in the southern Gaza Strip. He pointed out that these practices aim to deter citizens from exercising their natural and legal right to return and constitute a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

He added: “The Israeli enemy’s measures fall within a psychological and media war aimed at breaking the will of the Palestinian people and sowing fear and instability among them.”

He affirmed that the right of the Palestinian people to return to their homes and families in the Gaza Strip is inalienable and non-negotiable, and that the Israeli enemy’s attempts to undermine or circumvent it will not succeed.

The director of the Gaza Media Office called on media outlets to cover these issues professionally and responsibly, in a way that strengthens public confidence, exposes the Israeli narrative, and contributes to thwarting the Israeli enemy’s goals of intimidating returnees and undermining the resilience of the Palestinian people.

He concluded: “We will continue to closely monitor these violations and expose them to local and international public opinion.”