I can’t decide whether the sword (as opposed to a modern rifle) is intended to have a specific meaning beyond generically signifying military force.

The design of the sword immediately suggested to me the weapon of Crusading knight — that is, a figure historically associated with Christian militarism, rather than Jewish. So possibly it’s a detail consciously chosen by Oliphant to deflect charges of anti-Semitism, by implying that mostly-Muslim Gaza is being driven to the cliff by the combined policies of mostly-Jewish Israel and mostly-Christian America. And whether the headless Christian Crusader is in control of the Jewish attack dog, or being guided by it, is left to the interpretations of the reader.

But then again, it could just as easily be a generic symbol of martial violence.