A recent photo from Gaza shows Palestinians enjoying an Iftar dinner under the glow of string lights. The image is striking, not just for its contrast against the backdrop of war but for what it reveals about Israel’s moral compass. Here is a nation engaged in a brutal, existential fight against an enemy that has repeatedly chosen Jewish holidays as the stage for its most barbaric attacks. And yet, instead of striking during Ramadan, Israel allows its enemies to break their fast in peace.
Compare this to how Israel has been treated in its moments of holiness: the Passover massacre of March 2002,when a Hamas suicide bomber murdered 30 Jews at a Seder in Netanya; the Yom Kippur War of 1973, when Arab armies launched a surprise invasion on the holiest day of the Jewish year; and, of course, October 7, 2023, when Hamas chose Simchat Torah to unleash a massacre of unthinkable cruelty. These were not coincidences. They were calculated, cynical choices designed to maximize pain and suffering.
And yet, Israel does not respond in kind. The world sees Gaza’s string-lit dinners, but does it acknowledge the restraint that makes them possible? Does it recognize that Israel, despite being demonized, continues to uphold its values, even when facing an enemy that has none? Hamas slaughters on Jewish holidays; Israel lets its enemies celebrate theirs. The people of Gaza are allowed to have their pita and eat it too!
The world may prefer the illusion that Israel is the aggressor. But the reality is that Gaza’s ability to enjoy its Iftar under the stars, even in wartime, provides clear proof of which side truly values life—even the lives of its enemies.
