We have lost an aid worker

in Gaza. It is the thing the rest of us knew would almost certainly happen sooner rather than later.

He went in to help with an issue unrelated to the current conflict, one which also has a major impact on the lives of people living there. I cannot say any more about what he was doing there.

I never met him. Our brief contact was limited to a request for some communication assistance. It was nothing more than some additional words to make himself understood. All I did was pass his request on with the symbols to the person who provides the vocabulary. He was on his way to help try and sort the problem out when he was killed. 

The only information we have is that he was killed by "militants". They apparently shot him and the two engineers with him as they were travelling to the site. It was killing for the sake of killing. They were nowhere near the border with Israel. There was no reason to suppose they were doing anything other than something to assist.

Hamas has apparently said they were there to do the opposite of what they were doing, that they had to be taken out.  In reality it is more likely that Hamas saw it as an opportunity, something they could use to suggest that Israel intends only harm. The harder they can make the lives of Palestinians then the more they can make them believe Israel is responsible.

Hamas is not concerned with the people of Palestine or anywhere else. It is concerned with control, with power over people. 

A good, decent man has been killed along with two other men who were almost certainly good and decent people too. "But this is happening all the time," you tell me. Yes, it is. It isn't the first time and, sadly, it won't be the last. What's different this time is that someone I had the briefest of contact with was involved. That makes it personal.  

RIP S.... You went in knowing it would be dangerous. I am thankful you did not leave a family behind but you did leave friends. They will miss you.