Sigal Kraunik-Atiya to German Ambassador: "Take in 100,000 Gazans yourselves"

Sigal Kraunik-Atiya, widow of Be'eri security coordinator Arik Kraunik (of blessed memory) and a member of the "Amcha Yisrael" party led by Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter, appealed to the German Ambassador to Israel, Alexander Lambsdorff, following the inauguration of the scanning machine at the Erez crossing and called on Germany to take in 100,000 residents of the Gaza Strip.

"I heard that you inaugurated with great honor and splendor a huge and expensive magnetometer at the entrance to Gaza. You even went there specifically and took pictures. As a resident of the Gaza envelope, I appeal to you and say: the magnetometer will not bring a solution to the suffering of hundreds of thousands of Gazans living in tents. The magnetometer will not help rebuild the ruins that remain of what was once Gaza - and will never be again."

Kraunik-Atiya, whose husband fell on October 7 in the battle to defend Kibbutz Be'eri, added: "The magnetometer will also not help us, the residents of the envelope, who no longer wish to live alongside an enemy that wants to destroy us."

She then addressed the ambassador directly:

"If you and your country care so much about the Gazans, then instead of investing tens of millions in magnetometers - why don't you simply announce that you agree to take in 100,000 Gazans in Germany? That way we won't need more and more magnetometers, and you will also address the root of the problem, you will help the poor Gazans you care so much about. WIN WIN for all parties."

These remarks follow the criticism voiced yesterday by the chairman of "Amcha Yisrael", Ofer Winter, regarding the planned opening of the Erez crossing and the scanning device brought in cooperation with the German government. Winter called it the "concept magnetometer" and argued that instead of acting to defeat Hamas and encourage voluntary emigration from the Strip, Israel is sticking to a policy that will allow its rehabilitation.

"Would you believe that this is the picture we would see after 3 years of war in Gaza? Instead of defeating Hamas, instead of encouraging voluntary emigration of the Gazans, the Israeli government, together with the German government, are inaugurating the huge concept magnetometer. As long as Hamas has the hope that Gaza will be rehabilitated - we will not defeat them, and there will be no emigration. One just needs to decide and execute."

Erez crossing, which has been closed since the outbreak of the war, has undergone renovations in recent months intended to allow the passage of food trucks and additional aid, alongside the Kerem Shalom crossing. Towards the end of the week, following criticism from right-wing organizations, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense canceled the ceremony planned at the site and announced that no approval had been given for the opening of the crossing.

The storm surrounding the crossing is also taking place against the backdrop of contacts regarding the "15-point plan" promoted by the Peace Council and the Trump administration in the Strip. According to the details published in "Hayom", the plan includes, among other things, a framework for disarming Hamas, establishing oversight mechanisms, addressing humanitarian issues, and an economic aid package.