The Thinking ‘Kat: Evil Begets Evil
Whenever I check the news, one story is always there. It has been at the forefront of the news since October 2023, when Hamas launched an awful, horrific attack on Israel. What motivated them to launch such an attack, which saw over a thousand people die, and hundreds more abducted, is beyond my ability to comprehend. Hamas has long been a militant organisation, given the appearance of legitimacy once elected – in elections of dubious integrity – as the governing body of Palestine. They are responsible for numerous atrocities, of which the attack in 2023 is perhaps the most violent.
Whatever the motives, they have provoked the Israeli government into actions that have virtually destroyed Gaza, and ruined the lives of millions. This is not to say that I believe all of Israel’s actions are justified, because they most certainly are not, but let’s not pretend that Hamas have a get-out-of-jail card. As an organisation, they should disband, because they have ruled Palestine with only bad intentions, and done the Palestinian people no favours.
With that said, there is little to no justification for the brutal response from the Israeli authorities. From destroying dozens of hospitals, to withholding food, to near-indiscriminate air strikes, the Israeli government is arguably enacting ethnic cleansing in Gaza. There is a lengthy history of Israeli governments stealing Palestinian land, cutting off water and power, and creating a fertile ground for groups like Hamas to thrive. Hamas and their ilk then feed the population of Palestine with hate, with no regard for the cycle they contribute to.
I absolutely believe the Palestinian people should be free. They should have their own land, defined by international law, and protected from encroachment. Their freedom should be not only from Israel, but from Hamas too. Will I live to see a time where this happens? I could live to be 90, and I fear this will not happen, but it is what is right and just. Equally, Israelis have a right to exist, and to exist free from threats of terror. The Israeli government can play a part in this, by ending policies that help groups like Hamas. Again, whether any of this pans out in my lifetime is dubious. Still, I can live in hope.
