Let's be clear: Israel's latest operation in Gaza is not about security. Cease-fires between Hamas-ruled Gaza and Israel have brought security for months on end and there is ample evidence to show that Israel is largely responsible for truce breakdowns.

Israel decided to escalate the conflict last Wednesday with its assassination of Hamas leader Ahmed al-Ja'abari despite a truce that had been observed by all Palestinian factions during the previous two days.

A BOMB falls close to our neighbourhood in Gaza; I check Facebook to see if everyone has survived. A young cousin, Nihal, writes in her status: "Shoot, I should have had my nap earlier today, didn't know it was going to be a sleepless night.". Another cousin jokes: "We were happy it rained in Gaza but weren't expecting the water falling to turn into bombs." For the 1.5 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza, humour helps to mask the terror they are experiencing.

Alaa Tartir and Jeremy Wildeman say it is time to look for alternative models of aid, ones that do not simply seek new ways for the Palestinians to cope with life under occupation, but rather challenge the status quo while enabling Palestinians to survive.

Two Al-Shabaka advisors and one guest author recommend three new policies that international donors should follow if independent Palestinian development shall ever be realized.

"Is a U.S. aid cutoff such a bad thing? More voices are questioning international aid to the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, with some even calling for a full boycott of the aid industry."

To understand why they are so harmful, it is useful to deconstruct the policy recommendations in the World Bank’s latest growth report for the Palestinian territories.

"As for the Palestinian people, the task is to develop those sources of power that will impose the quest for freedom and rights on the U.S. policy agenda rather than wait for the 'right' U.S. president."

When it comes to understanding the complicated realities of the Gaza Strip, the Rafah Crossing ranks among the greatest sources of confusion: Many people know it is the main gateway in and out of the blockaded Palestinian territory, and that it is frequently closed.