I am struck by what seem to me to be some omissions in the media narrative on Gaza.
Firstly, the attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023. What was the plan? What was the idea? I am not an expert on the politics of this region but I have read that the Hamas military leader Sinwar spent a long time in Israeli prisons. He was released in 2011 as part of a large group of Palestinian prisoners exchanged for one Israeli soldier. Sinwar once said: “for the prisoner, capturing an Israeli soldier is the best news in the universe, because he knows that a glimmer of hope has been opened for him.”. [1]
I would hazard a guess that the rationale for the 7 October attack was that Sinwar had determined when he was released in 2011 to do something to free the other prisoners, whom he had left behind. From his own exchange he will have learned that capturing Israeli hostages is the way to do this. The plan was to capture enough hostages to be sure that all the Palestinian prisoners would be released. This was Sinwar making good on a promise he had made to himself when he was released; that he would come back for the others. I don’t know this is the case; looking at the totality of the case, though, it seems a very likely explanation. Two comments, (if this is correct). Firstly; this operation was not about the Palestinian people or cause. It was some kind of internal Hamas project. (No doubt Sinwar would have felt the two to be aligned). Secondly; it was a wild miscalculation. Israel has changed since 2011, become more militant, more right-wing. Even so; he should have anticipated the response. Israel’s hallmark is massive and disproportionate responses. * What did Sinwar really think was going to happen? A few bombs and then negotiations for a massive prisoner swap? Even if the operation had not turned out to be quite so savage – and there is some evidence (in the mainstream press) that they did not know about the music festival where around 300 unarmed partying Israeli hippies were killed, (what they were doing having a drug and alcohol fuelled rave a few kilometres from Gaza – a territory under blockade by Israeli – is another question), it seems likely the Israeli response would still have been the same. They have become unhinged. But Sinwar should have considered this. I don’t think 7 October was in the service of the cause of the Palestinian people.
A second strange media silence seems to concern Israeli attacks on hospitals in Gaza. There is no doubt at all that they are targeting hospitals. Israel claims that they are Hamas centres or that Hamas is operating in hospitals. Media which is sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, (Al Jazeera for example), carry reports from medics and observers and even UN spokespeople, denying this or, at least, saying that Israeli has not provided evidence. But; what is Israeli doing? I would guess that this is what is happening; there are no separate military hospitals in Gaza. Wounded Hamas fighters are being taken to these hospitals. Medics there are, quite correctly, treating them. Doctors, all over the world, treat whoever is in front of them. Israeli is raiding the hospitals to kill or capture these wounded Hamas militants. There was a case in the West Bank some months ago when Israeli commandos raided a hospital and killed three convalescing militants in their beds. (A war crime I think). I think this is happening at scale in Gaza. The Israeli leadership has just decided to kill or capture all Hamas fighters, (and it seems also policemen) regardless of anything else. Raiding hospitals is part of this, (as is the bombing with its extremely high level of civilian casualties). The well-documented campaign to limit aid to a bare minimum or zero in northern Gaza also seems to stem from this aim. This is why I say it is unhinged. If you have an aim but its execution starts leading you to break laws, commit extreme violence etc. the rational thing to do would be to stop and re-evaluate your aim. That isn’t happening.
In summary. One foolish and stupid miscalculation. In response; an initially rational aim, defeat Hamas, has given way to an unhinged campaign of violence. It really is some kind of abyss of humanity. Into which the US has just poured about USD 8 billion of arms…. I don’t know what to say. It is too awful and I can’t even see a way out.
* E.g “Whoever harms Israel will be struck much, much more,” Current Israeli Defence Minister. Katz. [2]
Notes