Response to Issue 32 (2) – ‘Off the Grid on the Road in Europe’

Michael O'Regan (2023) starts the introduction to his guest-edited special issue on living ‘off grid’ with reference to the notion of ‘polycrisis’. This is especially apt for us to consider, because at the time the issue had gone to press, the world was learning about the horrific terrorist attacks by Hamas on 7 October 2023. These immediately resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths and hostage captures. The ensuing escalation of war between Israel and Palestine, with a domino effect of retaliations, have afflicted thousands more, many of whom are also non-military personnel. For anyone who knows even a little about the recent history of the Middle East, off-grid is especially relevant, since it was at the sites of a festival and a few kibbutzim (Kfar Aza, Re'im and Be'eri) close to the Gaza border that the initial violent operations took place.