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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">He Refused to Collaborate, So They Killed Him - Why Israel Turned against the Gaza Clans</h1>March 22, 2024<br></div>
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<img src="https://www.palestinechronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Ismail-AlNono_AJA.png" alt="" title="Ismail-AlNono_AJA" class="gmail-moz-reader-block-img" width="450" height="302" style="margin-right: 25px;">
Mukhtar Ismail al-Nono was killed by Israel on March 20. (Photo: via AJA)
<p><strong>By <a href="https://www.palestinechronicle.com/writers/palestine-chronicle-staff" title="Display all articles for Palestine Chronicle Staff">Palestine Chronicle Staff</a></strong> </p>
<blockquote>
<h3><span>Israeli warplanes bombed al-Nono’s home on March 20, killing him along with his wife, two of his children and two grandchildren.</span></h3>
</blockquote>
<p><span>Palestinian institutions and figures accused Israel of
deliberately assassinating Mukhtar Ismail al-Nono, a renowned Gaza
dignitary who refused to collaborate with Israel in its attempt to
create an alternative to Hamas in the Strip. </span></p>
<p><span>For weeks, Israel has been laboring to create an alternative governing body in Gaza. </span></p>
<p><span>Repeatedly, however, representatives of clans and large
families have refused to work with Israel. This rejection, however, came
at a price. On March 19, 23 clan committee members, who were involved
in aid distribution efforts, were killed in a gruesome Israeli massacre
at the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City. </span></p>
<p><span>Then, Israel began killing individuals within the Gaza police
who are responsible for coordinating aid distribution with the Gaza
clans. Three top police officers were assassinated between Monday and
Tuesday. They included Fayeq al-Mabhouh, who was assassinated when
Israeli forces stormed Al-Shifa Medical Complex on Monday. </span></p>
<p><span>Al-Nono is the latest casualty. </span></p>
<p><span>Israeli warplanes bombed al-Nono’s home on March 20, killing
him along with his wife, two of his children and two grandchildren,
Al-Jazeera reported.</span></p>
<p><span>The murder of the respected Gaza elder followed Israel’s
failure to assuage the clans to betray the Gaza government and
resistance. </span></p>
<p><span>When it became obvious that its plan was not working, Israel
agreed with the UN Palestinian refugees agency, UNRWA, for the latter to
take charge of the humanitarian aid, which would ultimately be
delivered to starving Palestinians using clan members. </span></p>
<p><span>Soon after, however, the Israelis canceled the agreement and
massacred dozens of clan members, followed by some leaders of the
clans. </span></p>
<p><span>In a press statement commenting on the targeting of activists
involved in the distribution of aid, UNRWA media adviser Adnan Abu Hasna
said that Israel “did not provide an explanation for its withdrawal
from arrangements to provide aid to northern Gaza.”</span></p>
<h4><strong>Ismail al-Nono</strong></h4>
<p><span>Ismail al-Nono, 58 was a businessman who owned Alpha Electronics, a company specializing in telecommunications services. </span></p>
<p><span>In addition to his businesses, al-Nono played a prominent role
in social and charitable activities, chairing the Salah al-Din area
reform committee east of Gaza City, in addition to being chosen as the
leader for the al-Nono family.</span></p>
<p><span>Over the past few years, al-Nono sponsored many initiatives
aimed at sustaining peace in Gaza City, working with other clans to
resolve social problems and support those in need. </span></p>
<p><span>Last February, al-Nono posted on Facebook that Israel had
burned his house down, destroying it completely several days later,
along with the headquarters of his company.</span></p>
<h4><strong>Reasons for Assassination</strong></h4>
<p><span>The Director General of the Government Media Office in Gaza,
Ismail Al-Thawabta, confirms that the assassination of al-Nono is
directly related to his refusal to cooperate with the occupation.</span></p>
<p><span>In a statement sent to Aljazeera.net, he said that “Mukhtar
Ismail al-Nono and his family were assassinated against the background
of his refusal to cooperate with the occupation in the subject of aid as
an alternative to the administrative reality in the Gaza Strip.”</span></p>
<p><span>Al-Thawabta condemned “Israeli terrorism” in targeting the man
who has labored to provide urgent aid to the starved and displaced
refugees throughout Gaza. </span></p>
<p><span>He stressed that the popular committees do not work under the
framework of Hamas or its government in Gaza, but according to an
agreement between international organizations, meaning UNRWA, and the
Israeli occupation.</span></p>
<p><span>For his part, the head of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights
Monitor, Rami Abdo, revealed that al-Nono “categorically rejected”
offers from the Israeli occupation authorities to cooperate with them in
distributing aid, and “managing the affairs of the Gaza Strip” as an
alternative to Hamas.</span></p>
<p><span>“Several meetings were held in which al-Nono participated, and
he, along with other mukhtars, rejected the Israeli proposals, and
rejected any violation of the rule of law in the Gaza Strip,” he said.</span></p>
<p><span>Even then, al-Nono and other family elders continued to receive
calls from the Israeli Coordinator of Army Activities for West Bank and
Gaza Strip, demanding that they must cooperate.</span></p>
<p><span>Al-Nono’s answer, as conveyed by Abdo, was firm: “This will not
happen, and there will be no cooperation with Israel as an occupying
power.” </span></p>
<p><span>Al-Nono was later directly threatened that he would ‘lose’, as
in he will pay a price for his refusal to collaborate with Israel,
leading to his assassination with his wife and other members of his
family on March 20. </span></p>
<p><em><span>(AJA, PC)</span></em></p>
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