In Gaza, “progressivism” died on the beach.
Videos from Khan Younis show Palestinians cheering as they drag and butcher a 10-meter whale shark — an endangered, harmless species affectionately nicknamed “Ofek” by Israelis. The same global activists who champion “justice” and “compassion” for the Palestinian cause were silent as the very people they defend displayed none of either.
For weeks, Ofek had glided peacefully along Israel’s Mediterranean coast. Scientists and environmentalists celebrated his rare appearance as a symbol of nature’s resilience in a turbulent region. Then, when he crossed into Gaza’s waters, that story of wonder turned to savagery, and moral hypocrisy.
The Progressive Myth Collapses
For decades, Western activists have preached that standing with the Palestinian cause means standing for human rights, compassion, and the environment.
But the killing of Ofek, and the deafening silence that followed, destroys that myth.
While Gazans filmed themselves hacking apart the endangered creature, not one major environmental organization, not Greenpeace, not WWF, not PETA, condemned the act.The same activists who chain themselves to oil rigs and boycott plastic straws fell silent when the perpetrators weren’t convenient for their narrative.
No Hunger, Just Cruelty
This was no act of survival. Gaza is not starving. Israel sends hundreds of truckloads of food, water, medicine, and fuel through monitored crossings every day. Hamas, not Israel, hoards, blocks, or resells much of that aid on the black market.
The slaughter of the whale shark was about spectacle, not sustenance. Videos show crowds celebrating the “catch,” laughing and posing for photos. “No global environmental group condemned the act,” said Aviram Bellaishe of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. “Selective morality has replaced universal ethics.”
When Morality Becomes Political Theater
For Gaza’s defenders, values like environmentalism, feminism, and animal welfare only matter when they can be used against Israel. Greta Thunberg’s 2025 “Freedom Flotilla”, a diesel-fueled publicity stunt meant to “save Gaza”, reflected that same hypocrisy: climate activists aligning themselves with a terror regime that burns tires and buries civilians in tunnels.
“The whale shark posed no threat to humans,” said Dr. Avi Baranes of Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority. “Its presence reminded us of the beauty and fragility of our oceans.”
Sharks in Israel, the group that tracked Ofek’s migration, mourned: “His story is a sad one… He brought us joy and reminded us how much there’s still to protect in the Mediterranean.”
Intersectionality’s Moral Bankruptcy
The reaction, or lack of one, reveals what intersectionality has become: a hierarchy of victimhood, not a code of ethics. In this worldview, morality is determined by identity, not behavior. Jews and Israel are cast as permanent oppressors; Palestinians as perpetual victims. No matter how cruel the act, the script never changes.
The killing of Ofek was not an isolated tragedy. It was a mirror, reflecting a society where compassion ends at the border of ideology, and where the loudest voices for “justice” fall silent when injustice isn’t politically convenient.
The Real Lesson
The world stayed silent when Gazans murdered each other. We can hardly expect outrage when they kill endangered animals. Moral hypocrisy is now the loudest sound in global activism.
