These five coterminous West County towns — Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Hawley, and Heath — are equivalent in size to that of the Gaza Strip (approximately 141 square miles). Whereas the population of Gaza is estimated at nearly 2.1 million, that of these five towns is 7,000.

The number of fatalities, more than 10,000 already inflicted in Gaza, has surpassed the population of these five towns. In other words, as of Nov. 1, it would be as if there were no one left alive in these five towns. Imagine.

Louis H. Battalen

Ashfield