Those who claim to care about Israel’s long-term survival should encourage Israel to halt the Gaza conflict immediately and seek a political settlement.

Israel’s war in Gaza, now in its tenth month, is likely to be remembered as the most ethically bankrupt conflict in history. Whatever justification Israel had for its brutal Gaza war in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks has been severely undermined by the slaughter of thousands of civilians, mostly women and children, with the total number of those killed in this war exceeding 40,000, not counting those buried beneath the rubble. The Israeli war machine was brutal, sparing no schools, hospitals, refugee camps, or other targets on the excuse that Hamas elements were using them in some way.

To achieve its goal of eradicating Hamas, the Israeli army deems any location in Gaza to be a ‘legitimate’ target, regardless of how many civilians are killed or injured in the process, in complete disregard for all international war standards. The brutality with which Israel has launched its military effort in Gaza, a small and densely populated area, is reminiscent of WWII. According to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, more over 70,000 tons of bombs were dropped on Gaza between October 2023 and late April, surpassing the entire number of bombs rained on Dresden, Hamburg, and London during WWII.

Israel has fought a genocidal war, killing thousands of children, women, and the elderly, even infants. Thousands have been forced displaced. The entire Gaza population is regarded guilty by connection with Hamas, and collective punishment is thus justifiable. Thousands of people roam aimlessly, looking for shelter where there is none, safety where there is none, and food and water where there is none. Despite all of these horrors, Benjamin Netanyahu’s war government and his associates continue to seek Hamas’ destruction, assassinating its leaders on a systematic basis in the capitals of other sovereign countries.

Warmongers in the Israeli government and far-right fanatics like Ben Gvir, who want to wipe out Gaza with an atomic bomb, have learned nothing from history, the most important of which, as I have argued in previous articles, is that resistance can never be destroyed. Saadun Suayeh reported that almost 70,000 tons of bombs have been dropped on Gaza since October 2023. In a battle that is already approaching a year, Hamas, though battered, is still fighting, sitting at the negotiating table proud and defiant.

In a war that is already reaching its one-year anniversary, Hamas, although being bruised, continues to fight, sitting at the negotiation table proud and uncompromising. The chance of finding a diplomatic settlement in which the war stops and the hostages are released is heavily dependent on Israel’s political commitment to end its terror campaign. Even its closest allies, such as the United States, recognise that the time for peace has arrived. Israel is becoming too much of a liability, as its short-sighted and hazardous actions threaten to engulf the entire area in flames, without sparing Israel. Negotiations are currently taking place in Doha to negotiate a deal, amid increased pressure from the United States. The major issue is intransigence.

This hardline Israeli government appears to have no interest in peace. It is willing to go to extreme lengths to save its face and conceal the truth that it has been morally vanquished in Gaza, causing irreparable injury to the idea that Israel is the “only democracy in the Middle East”. While waiting for the outcome of the peace talks, with mediators attempting to narrow the gap between the two sides, Israel and the rest of the world should be reminded that there will be no lasting peace unless the Palestinian people’s fundamental rights to their country are fully recognized. Palestinians did not descend from Mars. They are descendants of the Canaanites, who lived in Palestine long before the Exodus.For its own long-term survival and the regeneration of the Jewish consciousness, Israel must reconcile with reality rather than historical myths. Those who claim to care about Israel’s long-term survival should encourage Israel to halt the war immediately and seek a political solution. If it does not, thousands more will be slaughtered, and the entire region will explode.

Even if Hamas is defeated, Israel will pay a hefty price as thousands of enraged Palestinians born from the womb of suffering carry the torch of resistance as they march towards their Promised Land.