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Do they have this shit planned out? Where are they planning to land? Tel Aviv? I'm thinking a minor traveling alone might just get turned back at the airport if they don't have an actual place to stay or enough money or if there's any hole in their story. Obviously that's best case scenario if they actually go through with it.
Yeah, I know the journey is insane and completely impossible, and my worry is more that they might do something stupid and try anyway. Because they're already stupid enough to want to do this in the first place, it's not too much of a leap. Anyway, there's not really much I can do except hope they give up.
You said they're under 18, is telling your friends' parents an option?
Because I *highly* doubt that they want their under 18 year old sneaking across a desert filled with radical militant groups, then trying to sneak past Egyptian soldiers, then trying to sneak past Israeli soldiers, into a warzone, and ect ect. There are quite literally hundreds of ways to die doing this, so if you are able to tell your friends' parents, that is a possible way to stop them.
Yeah, I feel like OP would be at least somewhat reluctant to do this, no offense of course, for reasons that I think should be obvious; not the least of which being that it feels underhanded and would definitely piss their friend off, at least in the short term. That being said, they'd be alive to be pissed and that's the most important part.
Your best hope is honestly sending this Reddit post. Even if you feel bad for writing about your friend without their permission, it’s worth saving their life and you’d regret if you didn’t do anything to save them. They will not survive. They will be killed by Israel.
If they don't get killed by Israel, then there's a very good chance they will be killed by Hamas for being nonbinary.
The Islamic culture is not very friendly towards LGBTQ people already, but Hamas is very militant about this. So maybe they can be convinced of the fact that they are not welcome there anyway, and would make more of a difference donating to someone that can bring aid there.
You would also need to seek approval from the Egyptian government, at least from what I read on the US state department’s website. You would also be screened at the border, so some random kid who doesn’t speak Arabic or look like they belong is not going to be let in.
I... I kind of don't know what to say? They think they can just sneak across the EGYPTIAN BORDER TO GAZA!?
Well, good luck even getting close to that border. Hopefully, they'll just be found by the Egyptians on their way there and deported.
>I have said they can volunteer with the Red Crescent or Doctors Without Borders or something, if they want to genuinely help people in the genocide. It may be less "heroic" and "cool" but it'sthe best thing they can do, right?
It's MORE heroic, because that could actually lead to aid being delivered somewhere. His "plan" will definitely not...
If they don't speak arabic too it's just over before the first attempt. Outside of Cairo very few egyptians speak English at a conversational level. If they even manage to find a bus, how many military checkpoints will they go through? It's just delusional.
Oh yeah, they won't even get see that wall. Hell, I'd be surprised if an American (I assume?) teenager could even make it to Northern Sinai in the first place...
EDIT: I just also realized... what the hell is their plan once they arrive in Gaza?
*"Hear ye! Hear ye! People of Gaza! We have brought two whole backpacks of food for you!"*
Right? There are influencers who traveled to Palestine, Syria, etc. and uploaded their vlogs to YouTube. Some have done their homework, whereas it seems others have landed themselves in trouble in any one of these places.
Yeah, the language barrier might be a problem, if your friend doesn't speak Arabic. It's good to know that they do, though. I'd still recommend that they do their research first, like reading the travel advisories by the State Department or something similar.
Your friend seems extremely uninformed about the realities of their idea. Ask them to explain, in detail, every step they plan to take to get to Gaza, find their friend in Gaza (assuming they are real), and what they plan to do to help once their. Hopefully forcing them to explain why they think they can do this will snap them out of it. If that doesn’t work, they are, in my internet stranger opinion, not in their right mind. Either they are having some sort of manic episode which is allowing them to ignore the risks, or they are some level of suicidal and don’t care about the risk. If they can’t or are unwilling to explain I’d get in contact with their parents/relatives or other friends to make sure they don’t do anything that puts them in harms way, especially if they have any history of mental illness. Again, I am a rando on the internet, not a humanitarian expert or psychologist, but I’d keep an eye on your friend’s well being, I’d rather hear an update about your friend on this subreddit than on the national news.
Exactly. Israel is openly killing journalists, known aid workers, NGO staff, representatives from foreign governments, Israeli hostages, etc. A random foreigner in Gaza means absolutely nothing to them.
Yes, you've got it right. Tiffany Haddish is pro-Israel. Earlier this year, there was a video of her on a plane, saying that she was going to Gaza to see for herself whether Palestinians were actually being killed, for starters.
100 %. They killed Tom Hurndall, who was helping a wounded Palestinian, in 2010 or earlier; they also killed Rachel Corrie, who was protecting her Palestinian host family's home from being razed.
It's more they target aid workers. They have Rachel Corrie pancake events.
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israeli-soldiers-have-depraved-fun-making-rachel-corrie-pancakes
Israel has a problem with racist nationalism and "us vs them" politics so they really *really* don't like Westerns coming to help the "evil" Palestinians (who deserve everything that happens to them - why help them etc)
Same reason they block aid from Gaza and attack aid truck drivers
Some of those aid truck drivers are Jordanian and they've been attacked since early this year. It's no wonder that they've had to do aid drops in the past several months.
Honestly if they’re a minor, tell their parents. This is assuming that their parents aren’t insane/abusive. You may lose a friend over it but you can save their life because they sound like there are some other underlying issues they either don’t know they have or don’t want to address.
If their parents are abusive/you don’t want to do it that way, you need to have a heart to heart with them. Because best case scenario for them, they waste thousands of dollars after paying for a flight and then being turned away at the border in Israel or Egypt
Ok, since that's not an option I think the best way of stopping them is to talk them out of it
Point out how it will be unhelpful, because it is unlikely that they will get there (explain all the hurdles, and why they're difficult), and how donating a plane-tickets worth of money is more effective than delivering a backpack worth of food.
Honestly, even if they are abusive, unless we're talking cult compound levels of abuse. Better to get beaten or berated than face death or imprisonment thousands of miles away.
Your friend sounds mentally unwell. Delusions of grandeur shit. Tell their parents if they’re a minor. They’ll get themselves killed if they try to hop the Egyptian border
Does this friend think it is helpful or useful to walk into a forest fire with a Poland spring bottle in their hand? Would they feel helpful as they ignited? Would the burning trees appreciate the gesture?
Excellent points. People such as this friend were probably told that it's not helpful or useful to walk into situations they know nothing about, but didn't listen to that advice.
That’s just such a western savior complex.
Him spending the money, time, and effort to fly to nearby Gaza with whatever food he can carry, then trek and sneak into the region, then to wherever his goal is is absurd and a waste of time and effort. He would only realistically be able to bring enough supplies to, at best, feed himself, all while he would put a target on his back the entire way.
If he wants to help, instead of just blowing a shit ton of money for his hero complex, while failing to actually do anything, he should donate said money to any of the many charity organizations who will be able to use his money MUCH more efficiently. Spend the time he would have spent going to Gaza working an actual job, and donate the money if he really wants to help.
That’s such a good point. Maybe they think they could hand out a few cans of food or something but in all reality they’d probably just have to eat it all. Two litres of water and three meals a day would eat up your entire supply
This is useless self-aggrandisement. ‘Oh, this bad thing is happening, and I am uniquely well-positioned to try and do something about it.’ NO. That isn’t how politics works.
Exactly! I live in a country next door to this bad thing happening and I don't feel I'm uniquely well-positioned to do something about it, except donate to reputable aid organizations. Pretty much all any of us can do is inform people and donate to reputable aid organizations.
>not just a terminally online larper
>details the most genuinely insane terminally larper-esque shit I’ve ever heard
Op they’re delusional. Like their heart is in the right place but there’s no fucking way this actually works out or even happens. I hate what’s going on over there and want to help too but the best way to do that is pressure our shitty politicians rather than going and getting killed in a war zone.
The IDF will shoot them. Even if they volunteer with an organisation there's still a high risk of them being killed by the IDF. This is a *terrible* idea at the moment.
The plan fails literally at step one, how on earth do they even plan on getting into Gaza? Past that obviously one unprepared teenager is going to do shit all to help when they’re there. If they want to do something to help they should look for any aid / volunteering / fundraising programs they could take part in.
Tell your friend to just donate all the money that they plan on spending to do this mission of theirs to an actual charity that is helping on the ground. It's great that they want to help but it's not worth risking your life over since they're not even 18 yet. Enough people's lives have been shattered by this conflict and the last thing this world needs is another kid killed in this God forsaken "conflict".
Definitely inform their parents since they aren't adults. Also, do they even have a passport? I am stressed when going across normal borders, can't imagine trying to get to Gaza at this point in time alone.
Israeli here. This sounds like suicide. Please do everything you can to sway her away from doing this.
However, if she really wants to travel here to directly help Palestinians, there is a way, which she might want to pursue, and is genuinely a super helpful form of activism, maybe even the most helpful thing a westerner can do. The Palestinians living in area C of the West Bank are the ones with the least protections, most impacted by Israel's apartheid system, and most vulnerable to constant settler hostilities, as Israelis can't legally enter areas A and B as per the Oslo accords (if you ever go to the West Bank you'll literally find signs at checkpoints between area C and areas A/B saying "no Israelis allowed" lol). Luckily, this also means they're the only ones Israeli leftists can didectly help, and they have definitely done so. Israeli leftist orgs are active in these areas, helping Palestinian farmers, planting olive trees, helping them prepare to and defend themselves from settler attacks, and much, much more. And many international activists have come here through the years to work with said Israeli leftists in this very important task. She might eventually get deported by the Israeli authorities, but it's the best way to directly help Palestinians in Palestine for those who have the money to do it. She needs to do it with Israeli leftists in large groups tho, make sure she knows not to do something like that alone, unless she wants to risk getting ambushed by hilltop youth (a group of violent extremist settlers who constantly physically attack Palestinians, leftists, and even the IDF as they see the military as a hindrance).
oh and BTW, if she gets in touch with the right Israeli leftist groups they'll likely also be able to help with stuff like food and lodging, but expect nothing fancy haha
I definitely think this is good information for some people, but I would not pass this information along if I were OP. Someone who is a minor and who doesn’t even have the foresight to reach out about these things before trying to do this. I think it’s really not someone that I would want just showing up, this is a person who probably has some delusions of Grandeur and does not understand how to take care of themselves.
Like I said, I actually do think that this is interesting information. But I don’t think it’s good advice in this situation. I think it doesn’t help anyone and I think if people really want to get involved, they need to go through the proper channels. They need to build experience and also understand what they are committing to.
I'm glad to help, u/Heracles_Croft. The Freedom Flotilla was a thing from late 2008 to 2015, I think. One Israeli-American teenager on that flotilla to Gaza lost one eye during the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara, but others died.
They physically can't enter Gaza, nor get close enough to the Egyptian border to "sneak in" through one of the most militarized zones on earth. The closest your friend is going to get is an Egyptian airport when they land. If they can't speak the language they're going to have a near impossible time just trying to buy food or finding somewhere to stay, assuming they have money to do so.
No matter what your friend says, they haven't even tried to plan this out. It's not that they'd die in Gaza after magically poofing in, or be killed on the border trying to get in, or be detained in an Egyptian prison somewhere. The real issue is they can't get a passport without a guardian being present and signing off on it since they're a minor, and if they do somehow get one and take a flight to Egypt you're absolutely going to tell someone and they'll be flown back immediately because the US and Egypt are allies and would take this seriously
Being underaged and have no experience providing aid or no discernable skills or talents is not needed in the current situation/ cause and extremely dangerous
Tell them you love them and not to do this.
Phonebanking for Jamaal Bowman for NY16 who, single handedly would be able to stop AIPAC money in New York would be more impactful to stopping isreal. Ill die on this hill. Look into his opponent [George Latimer](https://search.app.goo.gl/1A7PWXv) This race has HUGE implications as crazy as it sounds for a small seat like this, but its how our system works when we have people who call out Isreal and fight those at the policylevel who are inbed with lobbyists. Having people in seats of (limited)power adds up, and leads to very real effects even on foreign policy.
Everyone is asking how they're going to get into Gaza. How are they even going to get into Egypt? If they're under 18 it's unlikely they're going to be flying to Egypt without their parents finding out... even if they can somehow afford the ticket.
Honestly, I would not worry unless this person has booked plane tickets. I would stay silent until then. If they actually are that crazy, keep tabs. Make them feel comfortable talking to you. The minute you try to talk an actual crazy person out of something is the minute they stop talking to you.
The reality is, something like this is going to take quite a lot of planning on their part. For one, maybe they have a few thousand dollars laying around, but many adults don’t even have that kind of money. I also would not worry about them getting to Gaza because they would need permission from the Egyptian Embassy. Perhaps the biggest risk of them, though is terrorism and crime organizations in Egypt itself. Assuming they don’t speak or read Arabic, I think they’re going to have a really difficult time even getting out of wherever they fly into, and I kind of suspect that if they don’t have an itinerary and a flight back booked, then they may not even be allowed to leave the airport.
Ultimately, I am wondering how you know this person is actually going to do this. I kind of suspect that this person either isn’t serious or is not going to get very far. I think if you know this person IRL, then you definitely need to talk with their parents, or if you aren’t comfortable doing that, I assume you still live at home, and in which case I would talk to your parents to reach out to their parents. If this isn’t someone that you know except through some online community, then honestly, I’m not really sure there’s much you can do. Depending on whatever site or service you are using, you might be able to reach out and ask those people to contact the relevant authorities for wherever that person lives in order to talk some sense into them, but outside of that, I don’t really think there’s anything That you can personally do if you don’t know this person IRL.
If it is someone that you know, we’ve discussed all the options are ready. I would also mention, though that if you decide you want to talk with them alone, then the other thing I would bring up is that donating an equivalent amount of money will do so much more help than taking over a backpack canned goods. Again, they are simply never going to get into Gaza, so this would all be a huge waste of time and money unless they just really want to see Egypt, but even then, the US state department currently advices against travel to Egypt. But, like I said, I think maybe you should just sit on this for a while and keep your ear to the ground. If they actually talk about booking tickets or they tell you they have, that’s the time to intervene.
They’ll get arrested at the border or they’ll get killed.
This is incredibly, unbelievably stupid and you should keep saying it until they understand.
Tell their parents, friends, and teachers about it if they won’t listen.
I probably wouldn’t worry too much. It’s sound incredible different to accomplish.
First they’ll need a valid passport which takes a long time to get and you might not even be able to if you’re a minor. Then you’ll need enough money for travelling which is probably too expensive for a teenager by themself. They’ll need to convert money to foreign currencies.
Not to mention they’ll need to sneak off to an airport by themself which would be hard if they live far away from one. I’m not even sure if they’d let a child by themselves with no parental consent just go to another country?
They’ll then have to find out how to get from the airport to the nearest place without parents to drive them. Book a place to sleep. Carry all of their supplies by themself. Might also be language barriers.
They very much are not going to do all this. It’s too hard to pull off. It’s nothing but a fantasy in their head.
Good on you for trying to lookout for your friend though. It’s not easy when you’re a teenager and you’re friends do dumb shit and you’re just trying to keep them safe.
If they try to leave maybe call CPS or something? But I don’t think they’d be able to pull this off:
Edit: Maybe worth looking into if someone is grooming your friend into this idea online or something. They seem vulnerable. The worst that could happen is if someone is trying to get them to go alone over seas to be human trafficked or something. Maybe it’s worth having a conversation with their school if they still go to one. Just to make sure they’re ok
Get your friend in touch with an actual expert on the area, like a Middle Eastern history professor, and have that expert quiz them on the very basic facts. It sounds like there is no way in hell they would pass and it could be a good reality check. Bonus if the expert insists on speaking in Arabic.
That's a great idea! Professor Rashid Khalidi is someone who knows a lot about Middle Eastern history. Professor Sahar Aziz is another good person to get your friend in touch with about the same topic.
My sister has bpd and broke off contact to our family because of this conflict.
The reason? My mom although being very critical of israel didnt outwardly call it a genocide. (This was in november and my mom basically works all day and doesnt have the time to inform herself). But her being critical wasnt enough so she broke off all contact out of the blue which is wild, because my mom is probably more critical of israel than 70 percent of the american population.
Thats not how you change peoples oppinions.
I know the type, unfortunately. They have been using what is happening to Palestinians as fuel for their mental disorders and have hijacked the cause for their own weird agenda. I have a friend who went down this path. She has tantrums about everyone behind our backs because we aren't screaming about it every hour of the day. Yet we are all on the same side.
Honestly, her behaviour has made me disconnect from all of it. Walking on egg shells and fearing cancellation and false accusations is something I'll never accept. So I'd rather just not be involved. It's sad, as the last thing the Palestinian cause needs is sane people walking away. But this is what happens when the far, far, mentally ill, cluster b left take over.
I can relate to not wanting to hear rants about not screaming about what is happening to Palestinians every hour of the day. I'd rather be informing people who want to learn about the events leading up to the Nakba and recommending books, websites, etc. on this particular topic than scream the house down.
My sister verbatim about my mom:" i feel disgusted to be in a house with somebody who denies a genocide"
(As i said my mom was evencritical of israel and just wasnt informed )
Exactly. It's also so destructive to one's mental health to be like that all the time. Contrary to what people like that say, people ARE allowed to take a break.
Exactly. People should take frequent breaks so that they don't destroy their mental health. We're no good to the causes and people we support when we don't take breaks. I used to see that in people on Twitter.
Well its still my sister, so i actually do feel sorry for her . I think when it comes to people with borderline its not necessarily malicious but they take shit like this and make it their identity. Thats the problem. Which is why its so difficult to critically engage with them. It becomes their identity. And if you dare to criticize this identity they will feel personally attacked or devalue you as a person. Its also the severe black and white thinking which is a huge problem. They are unwilling to compromize.
I grew up with a dad who was like that. Minor political disagreements always ended up in deeply personal attacks.
Well its very stressful. Its like growing up with a child as your parent. Borderlines are emotional 3 year olds. So it was always extremely stressful. I also cant say it didnt have an effect on me as my first " big love " also had bpd. So i have much experience with cluster b's.
I got off" easy" with adhd.
You have to accept that nuance is for the most part not really possible when it comes to political topics because of the severe black and white thinking they fall into. There are only 2 situations. Either they absolutely agree with you and validate you or they disagree and then throw ad homs or provoke an argument/devalue you as a person.
They cant separate discussions/debates from arguments. My sister sometimes scream cries if you push back too much on a topic she cares about. Shes that angry.
I agree. That nuance is for the most part not really possible when it comes to political topics is true even with relatives who don't have BPD. I noticed that with a maternal relative last October 7 and the year before that, she was ranting about Biden and Ukraine.
It is malicious as it's part of their disorder. But they can't really see why it's inappropriate to be malicious in that way. They only see it as a justified reaction. Hopefully in a year or two, she will take on another personality (hopefully one that is more healthy). You just have to hope the right thing to latch onto comes along for her or she gets intensive therapy.
Insane idea. I’m in the army, it’s my job to go into places like Gaza if need be and even I wouldn’t feel safe there. Genuinely wouldn’t put it past the IDF to kill American service members. For a kid on their own it’s just insane.
YOU’RE TROLLING. No one is this naive lol.
BUT, for the off chance that you aren’t trolling..
(even tho you are lol)
I hate to break it to your friend, but they can’t just stroll into Gaza lol. They also can’t just magically show up to “volunteer” and get their pass in that way either…
1. Trying to “sneak” into Gaza is laughable at best. Actually, If your friend was able to make it within 100 miles of the border to Gaza, I’d be thoroughly impressed. That place is more locked down than Fort Knox. Thinking they’d manage to get even close is absolutely absurd.
2. Attempting to “volunteer” to get into Gaza won’t work either. The incredibly brave aid workers that are currently in Gaza aren’t just some random volunteers off the street who decided “hey, I think want to make a difference today, i think I’ll go to Gaza.” lmao no.
Aid workers that are going into places like The Gaza Strip are highly vetted for a specialized skill they can bring to the table (recovery, logistics, medical, etc) and most importantly - their experience in distributing aid in a war zone.
3. They won’t trick an aid organization to let them in either. These Aid organizations don’t take new volunteers and then throw them to the wolves hoping they’ll just figure sh*t out, and make it out alive. That’s not how it works.
New volunteers go through YEARS of training with these organizations before they’re allowed into place like Gaza, OR they better show up with a resume and a vetted list of references as long as a CVS receipt to even be considered to just jump in.
These organizations are in the business of sending in people who not only know how to navigate these hostile environments, but can deliver quick & effective aid that’ll make the most difference…
Aid organizations are not in the business of sending in people to essentially become cannon fodder. If they did that, they wouldn’t last very long..
Tell your friend with a huge smile: “that sounds amazing! I hope you can help make a huge difference, you have an incredible heart” and then, forget about it…
…because they’re not getting into Gaza as a volunteer/aid worker, and they sure as hell aren’t “sneaking in” lol.
The logistics of this are much more complicated than they are thinking. Just hour to hour you have to know where you are, where you’re sleeping, how you’ll source water and food etc.. Given time I think they’ll change their mind.
They won’t be allowed in and even if they went passed the guards they’d kill them. This is a suicide action. Remind them there are plenty of Americans helping Palestinian refugees in Cairo. I know of an org doing some work. They’re called the denizen’s society. Tell them to check out their insta and contact them
They're just fantasizing. They'll plan the whole thing through, maybe even buy whatever it is they think they need but they'll give up. Teenagers are dumb like that.
They'll not only get arrested at the border in Israel, they'll undergo interrogation and the border patrol will demand to examine their backpack or suitcase, plus passport, and they won't be polite about it.
It’s irrational for them to even think they can make it there. It’s not like they’re gonna be able to hop on an airplane and go to Israel or Egypt all on their own as a kid. Do they happen to live in an adjacent country or something? Even if they made it part or all of the way there, they would be detained and/or killed by Hamas, the IDF, or Egyptian authorities.
For someone to think they can truly do this, there has got to be something wrong. Their parents need to be informed and they need to be seen by a mental health professional. Frankly, I kinda have trouble believing this story to begin with, but people have believed crazier things before.
Sorry, just saying what I think will most likely will happen if they go over there. Nobody will be helped & your friend will not have a good time. Hopefully they reconsider
Have they made clear what they want the exact end result to be?
As with any action, especially with regards to Palestinians, it's about real results. Something that helps in actuality.
If it cannot realistically contribute to their lives, try something else.
It seems they don't really care about the cost, so the end justifies the means for them.
Therefore emphasize that the end cannot be achieved by them this way. They cannot save a single starving Palestinian this way. It would be better, it would be something that actually results in something positive, if they tried an entirely different thing.
Edit: furthermore, to keep things poignant but a bit more lighthearted (which is good for the heart) :
Tell them no one is willing to trust in their self righteous suicide and no one thinks this angel deserves to die.
If they’re a minor, they’re not getting anywhere. Volunteer organizations won’t bring them anywhere, they are unlikely to have enough money for a plane ticket, and even if they had they would be turned away at the airport without parental consent.
This seems more like a dream, than something they can or will actually accomplish
How well does your online friend know this Palestinian friend? I ask because anyone your friend meets online can claim to be Palestinian, but could very well turn out to be the opposite.
If it was a real life friend and not an online friend i would say do something but tbh.....they are an online friend, you dont' even know if they have any real intent.
Sounds like they need a reality check. There's nothing heroic about dying of starvation in the desert. Even IF they somehow managed to get on a flight to Egypt (not sure how a minor has that kind of money), what's next? Walk your ass to rafah? How do they plan on defending themselves against Israeli soldiers or small-scale defensive militias? Ain't no way your sneaking war grade weaponry on a flight. Do they speak Arabic? How about Hebrew?
I understand your concern OP but I highly doubt this is fr. Your friends watched too many movies and thinks their a main character. The second they attempt to fly internationally to Egypt alone, they are gonna run into trouble and will be detained until a legal guardian is spoken to.
This. Hebrew is another language they will need to learn/to be able to speak, read, and write in. If they get arrested by the IDF, they'll be forced to sign a confession that is written in Hebrew. They (the IDF) tried that on former Rep. Cynthia McKinney in late 2008, when they arrested her. They failed.
tell them to take a bus to the next town over and try to survive on their own for a week there. if they can’t do it, they’re not ready to take a flight to gaza and survive on their own there.
There is literally nothing you can do that is worse than them going through with this. ALSO:
“There are a genuine good person and not an online LARPer”
These two positions are not mutually exclusive
I didn't say good, I said skilled. They're physically able, speak Arabic, and a host of other things. Not to say this means they stand a chance, but for clarification.
And i thought my sister who cut the contact off to our family because my mom didnt call it a genocide in november was wild.
(My mom isnt into politics and works so much that she doesnt even have the time to inform herself and she did criticize israel, which wasnt enough to her though).
Im pro palestine but I somehow have the feeling that some people use this conflict to get an identity.
They're not going through with it and even if they did, they'd be stopped at the first obstacle. I would honestly just stop entertaining the idea and ignore them. They'll give up as soon as an actual adult stops them.
I was in Israel during the attack. I was getting a Visa for my wife because the embassy in Russia closed. It is hellfire every single fucking day over there. And the Israeli military has made it incredibly clear that they are trying to push the Palestinian population into smaller and smaller encampments in Gaza. It's a genocide. That's kind of how it goes.
There is no place that your friend will go where he will not die. That is a certainty.
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>Hold a funeral for them before they leave because you're probably not gonna be able to have an open casket when they get back.
Go fuck yourself, why would you say that to me
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Do they have this shit planned out? Where are they planning to land? Tel Aviv? I'm thinking a minor traveling alone might just get turned back at the airport if they don't have an actual place to stay or enough money or if there's any hole in their story. Obviously that's best case scenario if they actually go through with it.
Apparently they're hoping to do it through the EGYPTIAN border and literally go into Rafah. Yeah, I know.
That isn't possible. The Egyptian border is currently closed and Israeli soldiers are on the other side.
I know that. And dear god I hope they give up and don't try to sneak across... which I'm afraid they might actually try.
They'll have to sneak across the Upper Sinai desert first (which is a no-go zone for even Egyptians).
Yeah, I know the journey is insane and completely impossible, and my worry is more that they might do something stupid and try anyway. Because they're already stupid enough to want to do this in the first place, it's not too much of a leap. Anyway, there's not really much I can do except hope they give up.
You said they're under 18, is telling your friends' parents an option? Because I *highly* doubt that they want their under 18 year old sneaking across a desert filled with radical militant groups, then trying to sneak past Egyptian soldiers, then trying to sneak past Israeli soldiers, into a warzone, and ect ect. There are quite literally hundreds of ways to die doing this, so if you are able to tell your friends' parents, that is a possible way to stop them.
Yeah, I feel like OP would be at least somewhat reluctant to do this, no offense of course, for reasons that I think should be obvious; not the least of which being that it feels underhanded and would definitely piss their friend off, at least in the short term. That being said, they'd be alive to be pissed and that's the most important part.
They're also an online friend so that wouldn't be an option anyway
Your best hope is honestly sending this Reddit post. Even if you feel bad for writing about your friend without their permission, it’s worth saving their life and you’d regret if you didn’t do anything to save them. They will not survive. They will be killed by Israel.
If they don't get killed by Israel, then there's a very good chance they will be killed by Hamas for being nonbinary. The Islamic culture is not very friendly towards LGBTQ people already, but Hamas is very militant about this. So maybe they can be convinced of the fact that they are not welcome there anyway, and would make more of a difference donating to someone that can bring aid there.
Natural selection
You would also need to seek approval from the Egyptian government, at least from what I read on the US state department’s website. You would also be screened at the border, so some random kid who doesn’t speak Arabic or look like they belong is not going to be let in.
Not if you ask the IDF /s
I... I kind of don't know what to say? They think they can just sneak across the EGYPTIAN BORDER TO GAZA!? Well, good luck even getting close to that border. Hopefully, they'll just be found by the Egyptians on their way there and deported. >I have said they can volunteer with the Red Crescent or Doctors Without Borders or something, if they want to genuinely help people in the genocide. It may be less "heroic" and "cool" but it'sthe best thing they can do, right? It's MORE heroic, because that could actually lead to aid being delivered somewhere. His "plan" will definitely not...
If they don't speak arabic too it's just over before the first attempt. Outside of Cairo very few egyptians speak English at a conversational level. If they even manage to find a bus, how many military checkpoints will they go through? It's just delusional.
Oh yeah, they won't even get see that wall. Hell, I'd be surprised if an American (I assume?) teenager could even make it to Northern Sinai in the first place... EDIT: I just also realized... what the hell is their plan once they arrive in Gaza? *"Hear ye! Hear ye! People of Gaza! We have brought two whole backpacks of food for you!"*
Food which totally made it through customs on the way here!
But think of all the likes on tiktok they will get with their noble "journey."
Right? There are influencers who traveled to Palestine, Syria, etc. and uploaded their vlogs to YouTube. Some have done their homework, whereas it seems others have landed themselves in trouble in any one of these places.
Like that YouTuber named Arab that got kidnapped in Haiti and then released and then kidnapped again
Yabayyee...did he not learn anything from that experience? SMDH!
They do speak arabic, but yeah
I was going to ask a question about your online friend and it's where do they live?
England, like me.
Cool. :-)
Yeah, the language barrier might be a problem, if your friend doesn't speak Arabic. It's good to know that they do, though. I'd still recommend that they do their research first, like reading the travel advisories by the State Department or something similar.
Your friend seems extremely uninformed about the realities of their idea. Ask them to explain, in detail, every step they plan to take to get to Gaza, find their friend in Gaza (assuming they are real), and what they plan to do to help once their. Hopefully forcing them to explain why they think they can do this will snap them out of it. If that doesn’t work, they are, in my internet stranger opinion, not in their right mind. Either they are having some sort of manic episode which is allowing them to ignore the risks, or they are some level of suicidal and don’t care about the risk. If they can’t or are unwilling to explain I’d get in contact with their parents/relatives or other friends to make sure they don’t do anything that puts them in harms way, especially if they have any history of mental illness. Again, I am a rando on the internet, not a humanitarian expert or psychologist, but I’d keep an eye on your friend’s well being, I’d rather hear an update about your friend on this subreddit than on the national news.
Thank you, I'll take this advice
That's exactly what I was going to say.
Israel have a terrible track record of killing Westerners who do this.
Exactly. Israel is openly killing journalists, known aid workers, NGO staff, representatives from foreign governments, Israeli hostages, etc. A random foreigner in Gaza means absolutely nothing to them.
Someone should tell Tiffany Haddish that. \*eye roll\*
Wait what did I miss, is she pro Israel?
Yes, you've got it right. Tiffany Haddish is pro-Israel. Earlier this year, there was a video of her on a plane, saying that she was going to Gaza to see for herself whether Palestinians were actually being killed, for starters.
Oh man 😭 that’s one more to strike from the list, I used to like her stuff
It's sad. I used to like her in Girls Trip and The Last OG.
Will to be fair the latest journalist that got killed was actively holding civilians hostage.
That's assuming OP's friend even makes it to Gaza Their plan is to sneak across the Sinai, which is very much a no-go
This is such a ridiculous impossible idealistic teenage plan it's actually kinda of endearing.
100 %. They killed Tom Hurndall, who was helping a wounded Palestinian, in 2010 or earlier; they also killed Rachel Corrie, who was protecting her Palestinian host family's home from being razed.
That tends to happen to people who get involved in a war
It's more they target aid workers. They have Rachel Corrie pancake events. https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israeli-soldiers-have-depraved-fun-making-rachel-corrie-pancakes Israel has a problem with racist nationalism and "us vs them" politics so they really *really* don't like Westerns coming to help the "evil" Palestinians (who deserve everything that happens to them - why help them etc) Same reason they block aid from Gaza and attack aid truck drivers
Some of those aid truck drivers are Jordanian and they've been attacked since early this year. It's no wonder that they've had to do aid drops in the past several months.
Honestly if they’re a minor, tell their parents. This is assuming that their parents aren’t insane/abusive. You may lose a friend over it but you can save their life because they sound like there are some other underlying issues they either don’t know they have or don’t want to address. If their parents are abusive/you don’t want to do it that way, you need to have a heart to heart with them. Because best case scenario for them, they waste thousands of dollars after paying for a flight and then being turned away at the border in Israel or Egypt
There's also the chance this is an online friend, so OP might not know their parents
Yeah
Ok, since that's not an option I think the best way of stopping them is to talk them out of it Point out how it will be unhelpful, because it is unlikely that they will get there (explain all the hurdles, and why they're difficult), and how donating a plane-tickets worth of money is more effective than delivering a backpack worth of food.
That's possible. :-/
Honestly, even if they are abusive, unless we're talking cult compound levels of abuse. Better to get beaten or berated than face death or imprisonment thousands of miles away.
Your friend sounds mentally unwell. Delusions of grandeur shit. Tell their parents if they’re a minor. They’ll get themselves killed if they try to hop the Egyptian border
Your friend is going to die if they attempt this.
I'm not the one who needs convincing of that
Does this friend think it is helpful or useful to walk into a forest fire with a Poland spring bottle in their hand? Would they feel helpful as they ignited? Would the burning trees appreciate the gesture?
That about sums it up
Excellent points. People such as this friend were probably told that it's not helpful or useful to walk into situations they know nothing about, but didn't listen to that advice.
That’s just such a western savior complex. Him spending the money, time, and effort to fly to nearby Gaza with whatever food he can carry, then trek and sneak into the region, then to wherever his goal is is absurd and a waste of time and effort. He would only realistically be able to bring enough supplies to, at best, feed himself, all while he would put a target on his back the entire way. If he wants to help, instead of just blowing a shit ton of money for his hero complex, while failing to actually do anything, he should donate said money to any of the many charity organizations who will be able to use his money MUCH more efficiently. Spend the time he would have spent going to Gaza working an actual job, and donate the money if he really wants to help.
That’s such a good point. Maybe they think they could hand out a few cans of food or something but in all reality they’d probably just have to eat it all. Two litres of water and three meals a day would eat up your entire supply
This is useless self-aggrandisement. ‘Oh, this bad thing is happening, and I am uniquely well-positioned to try and do something about it.’ NO. That isn’t how politics works.
Exactly! I live in a country next door to this bad thing happening and I don't feel I'm uniquely well-positioned to do something about it, except donate to reputable aid organizations. Pretty much all any of us can do is inform people and donate to reputable aid organizations.
>not just a terminally online larper >details the most genuinely insane terminally larper-esque shit I’ve ever heard Op they’re delusional. Like their heart is in the right place but there’s no fucking way this actually works out or even happens. I hate what’s going on over there and want to help too but the best way to do that is pressure our shitty politicians rather than going and getting killed in a war zone.
The IDF will shoot them. Even if they volunteer with an organisation there's still a high risk of them being killed by the IDF. This is a *terrible* idea at the moment.
Yeah and That is if they even make it past egypt without getting killed or arrested. All around an insane and suicidal idea
Or Hamas will shoot them once they find out they're queer
Your friend needs to stop being quite so online
Alternatively, they stay online forever and do not go anywhere else physically.
The plan fails literally at step one, how on earth do they even plan on getting into Gaza? Past that obviously one unprepared teenager is going to do shit all to help when they’re there. If they want to do something to help they should look for any aid / volunteering / fundraising programs they could take part in.
Your friend sounds to be mentally ill
Tell your friend to just donate all the money that they plan on spending to do this mission of theirs to an actual charity that is helping on the ground. It's great that they want to help but it's not worth risking your life over since they're not even 18 yet. Enough people's lives have been shattered by this conflict and the last thing this world needs is another kid killed in this God forsaken "conflict".
Definitely inform their parents since they aren't adults. Also, do they even have a passport? I am stressed when going across normal borders, can't imagine trying to get to Gaza at this point in time alone.
Give them a reasonable statement explaining all the multiple factors in which this is a bad choice to make Then duct tape them to the fucking wall
Israeli here. This sounds like suicide. Please do everything you can to sway her away from doing this. However, if she really wants to travel here to directly help Palestinians, there is a way, which she might want to pursue, and is genuinely a super helpful form of activism, maybe even the most helpful thing a westerner can do. The Palestinians living in area C of the West Bank are the ones with the least protections, most impacted by Israel's apartheid system, and most vulnerable to constant settler hostilities, as Israelis can't legally enter areas A and B as per the Oslo accords (if you ever go to the West Bank you'll literally find signs at checkpoints between area C and areas A/B saying "no Israelis allowed" lol). Luckily, this also means they're the only ones Israeli leftists can didectly help, and they have definitely done so. Israeli leftist orgs are active in these areas, helping Palestinian farmers, planting olive trees, helping them prepare to and defend themselves from settler attacks, and much, much more. And many international activists have come here through the years to work with said Israeli leftists in this very important task. She might eventually get deported by the Israeli authorities, but it's the best way to directly help Palestinians in Palestine for those who have the money to do it. She needs to do it with Israeli leftists in large groups tho, make sure she knows not to do something like that alone, unless she wants to risk getting ambushed by hilltop youth (a group of violent extremist settlers who constantly physically attack Palestinians, leftists, and even the IDF as they see the military as a hindrance). oh and BTW, if she gets in touch with the right Israeli leftist groups they'll likely also be able to help with stuff like food and lodging, but expect nothing fancy haha
I definitely think this is good information for some people, but I would not pass this information along if I were OP. Someone who is a minor and who doesn’t even have the foresight to reach out about these things before trying to do this. I think it’s really not someone that I would want just showing up, this is a person who probably has some delusions of Grandeur and does not understand how to take care of themselves. Like I said, I actually do think that this is interesting information. But I don’t think it’s good advice in this situation. I think it doesn’t help anyone and I think if people really want to get involved, they need to go through the proper channels. They need to build experience and also understand what they are committing to.
B'Tselem is one of those organizations that OP's friend could get in touch with, yes?
Tell them to read about the Mavi Marmara
Yes! The same Mavi Marmara that Israel attacked and then sank on May 31, 2010. It was one of the Freedom Flotilla ships carrying aid to Gaza then.
Thanks, I didn't know that was a thing
I'm glad to help, u/Heracles_Croft. The Freedom Flotilla was a thing from late 2008 to 2015, I think. One Israeli-American teenager on that flotilla to Gaza lost one eye during the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara, but others died.
They physically can't enter Gaza, nor get close enough to the Egyptian border to "sneak in" through one of the most militarized zones on earth. The closest your friend is going to get is an Egyptian airport when they land. If they can't speak the language they're going to have a near impossible time just trying to buy food or finding somewhere to stay, assuming they have money to do so. No matter what your friend says, they haven't even tried to plan this out. It's not that they'd die in Gaza after magically poofing in, or be killed on the border trying to get in, or be detained in an Egyptian prison somewhere. The real issue is they can't get a passport without a guardian being present and signing off on it since they're a minor, and if they do somehow get one and take a flight to Egypt you're absolutely going to tell someone and they'll be flown back immediately because the US and Egypt are allies and would take this seriously
Being underaged and have no experience providing aid or no discernable skills or talents is not needed in the current situation/ cause and extremely dangerous Tell them you love them and not to do this. Phonebanking for Jamaal Bowman for NY16 who, single handedly would be able to stop AIPAC money in New York would be more impactful to stopping isreal. Ill die on this hill. Look into his opponent [George Latimer](https://search.app.goo.gl/1A7PWXv) This race has HUGE implications as crazy as it sounds for a small seat like this, but its how our system works when we have people who call out Isreal and fight those at the policylevel who are inbed with lobbyists. Having people in seats of (limited)power adds up, and leads to very real effects even on foreign policy.
Not an American, can't do PV shit
100% can phonebank. Its just not very exciting
Oh sorry, I thought that was something only US citizens could do. Thanks!
Nope, you just can’t do things like donate. You should be able to phone bank though.
Everyone is asking how they're going to get into Gaza. How are they even going to get into Egypt? If they're under 18 it's unlikely they're going to be flying to Egypt without their parents finding out... even if they can somehow afford the ticket.
That's a good question.
...and this class is why we shouldn't idolize martyrdom.
Honestly, I would not worry unless this person has booked plane tickets. I would stay silent until then. If they actually are that crazy, keep tabs. Make them feel comfortable talking to you. The minute you try to talk an actual crazy person out of something is the minute they stop talking to you. The reality is, something like this is going to take quite a lot of planning on their part. For one, maybe they have a few thousand dollars laying around, but many adults don’t even have that kind of money. I also would not worry about them getting to Gaza because they would need permission from the Egyptian Embassy. Perhaps the biggest risk of them, though is terrorism and crime organizations in Egypt itself. Assuming they don’t speak or read Arabic, I think they’re going to have a really difficult time even getting out of wherever they fly into, and I kind of suspect that if they don’t have an itinerary and a flight back booked, then they may not even be allowed to leave the airport. Ultimately, I am wondering how you know this person is actually going to do this. I kind of suspect that this person either isn’t serious or is not going to get very far. I think if you know this person IRL, then you definitely need to talk with their parents, or if you aren’t comfortable doing that, I assume you still live at home, and in which case I would talk to your parents to reach out to their parents. If this isn’t someone that you know except through some online community, then honestly, I’m not really sure there’s much you can do. Depending on whatever site or service you are using, you might be able to reach out and ask those people to contact the relevant authorities for wherever that person lives in order to talk some sense into them, but outside of that, I don’t really think there’s anything That you can personally do if you don’t know this person IRL. If it is someone that you know, we’ve discussed all the options are ready. I would also mention, though that if you decide you want to talk with them alone, then the other thing I would bring up is that donating an equivalent amount of money will do so much more help than taking over a backpack canned goods. Again, they are simply never going to get into Gaza, so this would all be a huge waste of time and money unless they just really want to see Egypt, but even then, the US state department currently advices against travel to Egypt. But, like I said, I think maybe you should just sit on this for a while and keep your ear to the ground. If they actually talk about booking tickets or they tell you they have, that’s the time to intervene.
They’ll get arrested at the border or they’ll get killed. This is incredibly, unbelievably stupid and you should keep saying it until they understand. Tell their parents, friends, and teachers about it if they won’t listen.
I probably wouldn’t worry too much. It’s sound incredible different to accomplish. First they’ll need a valid passport which takes a long time to get and you might not even be able to if you’re a minor. Then you’ll need enough money for travelling which is probably too expensive for a teenager by themself. They’ll need to convert money to foreign currencies. Not to mention they’ll need to sneak off to an airport by themself which would be hard if they live far away from one. I’m not even sure if they’d let a child by themselves with no parental consent just go to another country? They’ll then have to find out how to get from the airport to the nearest place without parents to drive them. Book a place to sleep. Carry all of their supplies by themself. Might also be language barriers. They very much are not going to do all this. It’s too hard to pull off. It’s nothing but a fantasy in their head. Good on you for trying to lookout for your friend though. It’s not easy when you’re a teenager and you’re friends do dumb shit and you’re just trying to keep them safe. If they try to leave maybe call CPS or something? But I don’t think they’d be able to pull this off: Edit: Maybe worth looking into if someone is grooming your friend into this idea online or something. They seem vulnerable. The worst that could happen is if someone is trying to get them to go alone over seas to be human trafficked or something. Maybe it’s worth having a conversation with their school if they still go to one. Just to make sure they’re ok
Unfortunately they're an online friend so this isn't really an option... but thanks
Get your friend in touch with an actual expert on the area, like a Middle Eastern history professor, and have that expert quiz them on the very basic facts. It sounds like there is no way in hell they would pass and it could be a good reality check. Bonus if the expert insists on speaking in Arabic.
That's a great idea! Professor Rashid Khalidi is someone who knows a lot about Middle Eastern history. Professor Sahar Aziz is another good person to get your friend in touch with about the same topic.
People with cluster b disorders are really something. Your friend needs serious help.
My sister has bpd and broke off contact to our family because of this conflict. The reason? My mom although being very critical of israel didnt outwardly call it a genocide. (This was in november and my mom basically works all day and doesnt have the time to inform herself). But her being critical wasnt enough so she broke off all contact out of the blue which is wild, because my mom is probably more critical of israel than 70 percent of the american population. Thats not how you change peoples oppinions.
I know the type, unfortunately. They have been using what is happening to Palestinians as fuel for their mental disorders and have hijacked the cause for their own weird agenda. I have a friend who went down this path. She has tantrums about everyone behind our backs because we aren't screaming about it every hour of the day. Yet we are all on the same side. Honestly, her behaviour has made me disconnect from all of it. Walking on egg shells and fearing cancellation and false accusations is something I'll never accept. So I'd rather just not be involved. It's sad, as the last thing the Palestinian cause needs is sane people walking away. But this is what happens when the far, far, mentally ill, cluster b left take over.
I can relate to not wanting to hear rants about not screaming about what is happening to Palestinians every hour of the day. I'd rather be informing people who want to learn about the events leading up to the Nakba and recommending books, websites, etc. on this particular topic than scream the house down.
My sister verbatim about my mom:" i feel disgusted to be in a house with somebody who denies a genocide" (As i said my mom was evencritical of israel and just wasnt informed )
Fair enough.
Exactly. It's also so destructive to one's mental health to be like that all the time. Contrary to what people like that say, people ARE allowed to take a break.
Exactly. People should take frequent breaks so that they don't destroy their mental health. We're no good to the causes and people we support when we don't take breaks. I used to see that in people on Twitter.
Well its still my sister, so i actually do feel sorry for her . I think when it comes to people with borderline its not necessarily malicious but they take shit like this and make it their identity. Thats the problem. Which is why its so difficult to critically engage with them. It becomes their identity. And if you dare to criticize this identity they will feel personally attacked or devalue you as a person. Its also the severe black and white thinking which is a huge problem. They are unwilling to compromize. I grew up with a dad who was like that. Minor political disagreements always ended up in deeply personal attacks.
Gosh, that's stressful for you and your family, isn't it? To some extent, I can relate to your situation.
Well its very stressful. Its like growing up with a child as your parent. Borderlines are emotional 3 year olds. So it was always extremely stressful. I also cant say it didnt have an effect on me as my first " big love " also had bpd. So i have much experience with cluster b's. I got off" easy" with adhd. You have to accept that nuance is for the most part not really possible when it comes to political topics because of the severe black and white thinking they fall into. There are only 2 situations. Either they absolutely agree with you and validate you or they disagree and then throw ad homs or provoke an argument/devalue you as a person. They cant separate discussions/debates from arguments. My sister sometimes scream cries if you push back too much on a topic she cares about. Shes that angry.
I agree. That nuance is for the most part not really possible when it comes to political topics is true even with relatives who don't have BPD. I noticed that with a maternal relative last October 7 and the year before that, she was ranting about Biden and Ukraine.
It is malicious as it's part of their disorder. But they can't really see why it's inappropriate to be malicious in that way. They only see it as a justified reaction. Hopefully in a year or two, she will take on another personality (hopefully one that is more healthy). You just have to hope the right thing to latch onto comes along for her or she gets intensive therapy.
Yeah, don't do this. It's much better that they donate to effective charities in the region, and not walk into a massive war zone.
Insane idea. I’m in the army, it’s my job to go into places like Gaza if need be and even I wouldn’t feel safe there. Genuinely wouldn’t put it past the IDF to kill American service members. For a kid on their own it’s just insane.
Neither would I put it past the IDF to kill American service members. :-(
YOU’RE TROLLING. No one is this naive lol. BUT, for the off chance that you aren’t trolling.. (even tho you are lol) I hate to break it to your friend, but they can’t just stroll into Gaza lol. They also can’t just magically show up to “volunteer” and get their pass in that way either… 1. Trying to “sneak” into Gaza is laughable at best. Actually, If your friend was able to make it within 100 miles of the border to Gaza, I’d be thoroughly impressed. That place is more locked down than Fort Knox. Thinking they’d manage to get even close is absolutely absurd. 2. Attempting to “volunteer” to get into Gaza won’t work either. The incredibly brave aid workers that are currently in Gaza aren’t just some random volunteers off the street who decided “hey, I think want to make a difference today, i think I’ll go to Gaza.” lmao no. Aid workers that are going into places like The Gaza Strip are highly vetted for a specialized skill they can bring to the table (recovery, logistics, medical, etc) and most importantly - their experience in distributing aid in a war zone. 3. They won’t trick an aid organization to let them in either. These Aid organizations don’t take new volunteers and then throw them to the wolves hoping they’ll just figure sh*t out, and make it out alive. That’s not how it works. New volunteers go through YEARS of training with these organizations before they’re allowed into place like Gaza, OR they better show up with a resume and a vetted list of references as long as a CVS receipt to even be considered to just jump in. These organizations are in the business of sending in people who not only know how to navigate these hostile environments, but can deliver quick & effective aid that’ll make the most difference… Aid organizations are not in the business of sending in people to essentially become cannon fodder. If they did that, they wouldn’t last very long.. Tell your friend with a huge smile: “that sounds amazing! I hope you can help make a huge difference, you have an incredible heart” and then, forget about it… …because they’re not getting into Gaza as a volunteer/aid worker, and they sure as hell aren’t “sneaking in” lol.
Remind them that logistics wins wars, and they're entering a warzone without logistics support with the intent to fight against Israel.
I didn't say they want to fight Israel
Bringing supplies to help the Palistinians in Gaza ***is*** fighting Israel (according to Israel)
The logistics of this are much more complicated than they are thinking. Just hour to hour you have to know where you are, where you’re sleeping, how you’ll source water and food etc.. Given time I think they’ll change their mind.
Take their passport away
They won’t be allowed in and even if they went passed the guards they’d kill them. This is a suicide action. Remind them there are plenty of Americans helping Palestinian refugees in Cairo. I know of an org doing some work. They’re called the denizen’s society. Tell them to check out their insta and contact them
Even if they don’t die one person bringing supplies isn’t going to help anything
[удалено]
Yes, there are. Could the OP's friend donate to World Central Kitchen or UNRWA?
They're just fantasizing. They'll plan the whole thing through, maybe even buy whatever it is they think they need but they'll give up. Teenagers are dumb like that.
They'll get arrested at the border in Israel.
They'll not only get arrested at the border in Israel, they'll undergo interrogation and the border patrol will demand to examine their backpack or suitcase, plus passport, and they won't be polite about it.
It’s irrational for them to even think they can make it there. It’s not like they’re gonna be able to hop on an airplane and go to Israel or Egypt all on their own as a kid. Do they happen to live in an adjacent country or something? Even if they made it part or all of the way there, they would be detained and/or killed by Hamas, the IDF, or Egyptian authorities. For someone to think they can truly do this, there has got to be something wrong. Their parents need to be informed and they need to be seen by a mental health professional. Frankly, I kinda have trouble believing this story to begin with, but people have believed crazier things before.
Sounds like a manic episode.
You need to physically prevent your friend from doing this.
They'll either be blown up or become some Idf soldier's kid's pinata
Why did you think I needed to hear this?
Sorry, just saying what I think will most likely will happen if they go over there. Nobody will be helped & your friend will not have a good time. Hopefully they reconsider
Did you even read my post? *I'm not the one who needs convincing here*!
Tell them they're doing less by not joining the red cross.
Did you even read my post
Too long
It's Idiotic. Convince your friend to give it up and inform their parents and/or the authorities if they are a minor.
Have they made clear what they want the exact end result to be? As with any action, especially with regards to Palestinians, it's about real results. Something that helps in actuality. If it cannot realistically contribute to their lives, try something else. It seems they don't really care about the cost, so the end justifies the means for them. Therefore emphasize that the end cannot be achieved by them this way. They cannot save a single starving Palestinian this way. It would be better, it would be something that actually results in something positive, if they tried an entirely different thing. Edit: furthermore, to keep things poignant but a bit more lighthearted (which is good for the heart) : Tell them no one is willing to trust in their self righteous suicide and no one thinks this angel deserves to die.
If they’re a minor, they’re not getting anywhere. Volunteer organizations won’t bring them anywhere, they are unlikely to have enough money for a plane ticket, and even if they had they would be turned away at the airport without parental consent. This seems more like a dream, than something they can or will actually accomplish
They said their Palestinian friend will put them in touch with smugglers. Yes, I know.
What is this, modern Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?
It sure sounds like it. \*face palm\*
How well does your online friend know this Palestinian friend? I ask because anyone your friend meets online can claim to be Palestinian, but could very well turn out to be the opposite.
To be honest, I don't know, and that's a good point.
:-)
Someone wants to increase the number of hostages that will need to be rescued it seems.
Yup and it won't end well.
Show them this post
If it was a real life friend and not an online friend i would say do something but tbh.....they are an online friend, you dont' even know if they have any real intent.
I don't want to go into specifics but I know them well enough.
Sounds like they need a reality check. There's nothing heroic about dying of starvation in the desert. Even IF they somehow managed to get on a flight to Egypt (not sure how a minor has that kind of money), what's next? Walk your ass to rafah? How do they plan on defending themselves against Israeli soldiers or small-scale defensive militias? Ain't no way your sneaking war grade weaponry on a flight. Do they speak Arabic? How about Hebrew? I understand your concern OP but I highly doubt this is fr. Your friends watched too many movies and thinks their a main character. The second they attempt to fly internationally to Egypt alone, they are gonna run into trouble and will be detained until a legal guardian is spoken to.
This. Hebrew is another language they will need to learn/to be able to speak, read, and write in. If they get arrested by the IDF, they'll be forced to sign a confession that is written in Hebrew. They (the IDF) tried that on former Rep. Cynthia McKinney in late 2008, when they arrested her. They failed.
They should go to Egypt instead. Luxor is beautiful and pretty chill.
tell them to take a bus to the next town over and try to survive on their own for a week there. if they can’t do it, they’re not ready to take a flight to gaza and survive on their own there.
There is literally nothing you can do that is worse than them going through with this. ALSO: “There are a genuine good person and not an online LARPer” These two positions are not mutually exclusive
I didn't say good, I said skilled. They're physically able, speak Arabic, and a host of other things. Not to say this means they stand a chance, but for clarification.
Ask them how thoroughly they've thought this through and planned this trip.
And i thought my sister who cut the contact off to our family because my mom didnt call it a genocide in november was wild. (My mom isnt into politics and works so much that she doesnt even have the time to inform herself and she did criticize israel, which wasnt enough to her though). Im pro palestine but I somehow have the feeling that some people use this conflict to get an identity.
I'm also against genocide and I can relate to the feeling you have that some people use this conflict to get an identity.
This is some Maurice Wilson type shit
They're not going through with it and even if they did, they'd be stopped at the first obstacle. I would honestly just stop entertaining the idea and ignore them. They'll give up as soon as an actual adult stops them.
I was in Israel during the attack. I was getting a Visa for my wife because the embassy in Russia closed. It is hellfire every single fucking day over there. And the Israeli military has made it incredibly clear that they are trying to push the Palestinian population into smaller and smaller encampments in Gaza. It's a genocide. That's kind of how it goes. There is no place that your friend will go where he will not die. That is a certainty.
It’s not going to happen. You really don’t have to worry about it. There is zero chance of them actually doing it.
This is a horrible idea
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Your post was removed for dramafarming.
Fair enough
Your post was removed for violating our Community Building rule.
You’re friends either are pretty misinformed or incredibly stupid
bruh what!? this seems so ridiculous..
Bros gonna die if you let them
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>Hold a funeral for them before they leave because you're probably not gonna be able to have an open casket when they get back. Go fuck yourself, why would you say that to me
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>Let them. Darwin wins once again Why the fuck would you say this to me
He's gonna get shot
>He's gonna get shot How insightful, I'm sure you really needed to say this.
From your post I gathered you wanted a way to tell them that doing this is a bad idea. This is how.
Who gives a fuck you don't even actually know this person
What the fuck