In the midst of Jewish holiday Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah, the terrorist organization Hamas launched an unprovoked, well planned and surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens.

This attack, prepared and organized months in advance, was not aimed at military targets in Israel. On the contrary, Hamas terrorists, heavily armed with rifles, grenades and other ammunition, methodically tried entering each and every Israeli kibbutz, moshav and small town near Gaza, and massacred every person that they could.

Of course, all wars are ugly and most inevitably result in civilian casualties. Nevertheless, the Geneva Convention explicitly prohibits the intentional harming of civilians during warfare. Hamas terrorists aimed this attack specifically against civilians, who were butchered, burned alive, raped or kidnapped into the Gaza strip. It must be emphasized that many of those murdered and taken hostage were children, women and the elderly–all in direct violation of the internationally recognized laws of war. Therefore, it’s important to emphasize that this was not just an act of war but an act of terrorism, as Hamas, like ISIS, Daesh, Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, intentionally target and brutalize civilians.

Hamas’s goal in this bloodthirsty atrocity, particularly the kidnapping of innocent Israelicitizens, is not just to terrorize and hurt Israel. They will use these hostages as bargaining chips to free Palestinians held in Israel jails. But make no mistake: the Palestinians in Israeli jails are being held for committing terrorist acts against Israel. Moreover, they are humanely treated despite their heinous crimes as they’re fed, clothed, given showers and even allowed to use phones during their incarceration (which are sometimes utilized to organize further terrorism). The kidnapped Israelis currently held in Gaza were largely guiltless civilians, among them, as mentioned, children, women, the elderly and the like.

As a result of this inhuman and unprovoked attack, Israel is currently at war, in an attempt to hopefully defang the Hamas terrorist organization once and for all. We should be crystal clear. This is not a war against Palestinians, some of whom yearn for a better life than they’re presently living (as shields for Hamas) and are decent people. This is a war against the Hamas terrorist organization, which Israel was forced into, and will ultimately win.

Larry Stanger
Israel