Who Killed Vittorio, and How Can We Avenge?

Everyone who is concerned with the issue of defending human rights, the Palestinian cause and the ending of the Gaza Strip blockade is totally shocked because of this despicable act of the killing of Vittorio.

I have known about the activities of Vittorio in the Gaza Strip through my researches on human rights violations by Israel in Gaza. However, after I have heard of the news of his kidnapping and killing I became more interested in knowing Vittorio closely. I searched his video clips and photos while on one of the ships heading to Gaza or in the field coming face to face with Israeli army, and I could see that look on his face while he is doing humanitarian work in Gaza, it is a look of self-content and pride as if the man lives with his family or as if he is at his home or doing community work. I am totally confident that Vittorio's journey from Italy to Gaza and from Gaza to Italy or whichever direction you look at it is simply a journey from home to back home.

But the question that keeps persisting and haunting everyone is why would anyone commit such a shameful act by killing a peace activist like Vittorio? Has Hamas done enough to rescue him? And what benefit to whichever group his killing has brought?

First of all, I believe that Hamas has failed Vittorio and failed all peace activists working in Gaza. I am not sure to what extent the claim of Hamas is true that Vittorio was killed shortly after he was kidnapped. If this is true then the kidnappers has other aims of kidnapping Vittorio than the stated ones of pressing Hamas to release their leader. But if Hamas's claim is not true then why didn't Hamas enter into negotiations with the kidnappers to secure his release? I personally didn't hear of such news. Does it mean that Hamas was unwilling to negotiate, or the group didn’t want to open up negotiation channels? A justification crops up in mind that may be Hamas didn't have a clue about who are the kidnappers. But if they knew about then a semi-government like Hamas can't afford the luxury of refusing to negotiate with any group regardless of their background.

If we take the first possibility that kidnappers killed Vittorio shortly after kidnapping him then this is sending us a different message in that the kidnapping was only for the sake of killing and terrorising peace activists in Gaza. Let's not overlook the fact that in a month and half from now the International Freedom Flotilla 2 will attempt to arrive in Gaza. It is a bigger flotilla, more organised and more diverse in the nationalities of its participants. Clearly, this flotilla is a source of worry to Israel who wants to keep the issue of Gaza blockade off the international agenda. Therefore, Israel has an advantage in creating chaos and a sense of insecurity among peace activists. It is a continuation of the first episode of state terror against global civil society activists which started in 2008, the year which marks the first attempts to break the siege of Gaza.

This shouldn’t be understood as the direct perpetrators are the Israelis, No. Neverthless they are the beneficiaries. There is enough evidence up to now, unless the future unravels otherwise, that they are a Palestinian group who either has played into the hands of Israel or really have contacts with Israel. On both cases this act is a barbaric one which has immense ramifications on the Palestinian cause and the future of civil activism in Gaza. At the end of the day these activists are putting their lives at risk when coming to Gaza, but they don't expect to be stabbed in the back by Palestinian hands for whatsoever reason. It is possible to classify this group under any category we like: Islamist radicals, Jihadist terrorists, right wing extremists, lunatics, misleaded-frustrated unemployed youth, traitors, collaborators, Mosad agents etc….there is only one fact that they have killed an innocent person who has a life, family and friends and this shouldn't be allowed to happen in first place.

I hope that such an incident will not reoccur and shouldn’t be allowed to occur. Hamas has a duty to make sure that these activists feel safe in Gaza and not terrorised, especially ahead of the arrival of the flotilla. Hamas has a responsibility to provide protection for them. Most importantly, Hamas must address the issue of extremism, sleeping Mosad cells, and unidentified groups.

Vittorio was an activist who tattooed the Arabic word "resistance" on his biceps and he was proud to show it to the world. Therefore, resistance should continue and the work that Vitorrio, Rachel, Tom Hurndall, Juliano started should continue. The killer of these people is the same and the aim is always the same. We have to avenge by keeping the resistance and the culture of resistance up. Justice to these activists and to the Palestinians can be brought only when the occupation is over and when the siege of Gaza is lift. From 2008 onward it is our decision to materialise this, it is our choice, it is no more the decision or choice of infamous groups or the rogue state of Israel.