Terrorist organization Hamas opened up the gates of Hell. Now the world must decide whether to enter or put out the flames.
October 16, 2023—The Middle East blew up this month, inviting the world to join it on a downward track to a hellish world of murder, massacre, and a limitless cycle of revenge.
It does no good to detail the specifics of the October 7 terror attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians. To do so would only continue to crush the spirit of this writer and readers alike.
The point is, it was a full-scale air, sea, and ground attack by Hamas militants. It was the largest terror attack against Israel. It left 1,400 Israelis dead, thousands more injured, and at least 199 people kidnapped. Americans were included in the numbers.
Militants broadcast their terror on social media, and the world watched in horror.
War Declared
In response, Israel declared war on Hamas and began bombing Gaza. It’s not clear when Hamas declared war. Its sole purpose of existence is to destroy the state of Israel. Now, Israel is intent on destroying Hamas.
It isn’t the first time Israel and Hamas have engaged in war. They fought an 11-day war in 2021 and other battles, including a six-day war in 1967, a 22-day war in 2008 to 2009, and a 49-day war in 2014.
This time it’s different. There is no end in sight.
Millions Caught In The Crossfire
Almost immediately, a full humanitarian crisis erupted. Millions of people are caught in the crossfire of rockets, bullets, and bombs.
From the start, civilians were the target. Hamas militants attacked people in six areas in Israel. Israeli extremists called for a “day of revenge.” Israeli settlers backed by soldiers killed Palestinian civilians attending a funeral in the West Bank village of Qusra. The number of those injured in the occupied West Bank reached 600, according to reporting by El Pais.
By Sunday, the number of deaths in Gaza since October 7 reached 2,750. Nearly 10,000 people there suffered injuries, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Israel has vowed to eliminate the existence of Hamas. The Israeli military began the largest bombing campaign of Gaza in history and shut off access to electricity and water.
A Humanitarian Catastrophe
UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini called the situation a humanitarian catastrophe. He said UNRWA workers are no longer able to assist refugees. The organization has lost 16 workers due to the war in Gaza.
“As I speak with you Gaza is running out of water and electricity. In fact, Gaza is being strangled. And it seems the world has lost its humanity,” Lazzarini said on Sunday.
While world leaders step up diplomacy, humanitarian groups are raising their voices. Some cried out for respect for international law. Others called on warriors to allow safe access to humanitarian supplies.
The International Red Cross warned that hospitals in Gaza would soon turn into morgues without electricity.
Israel has ordered an evacuation of Gaza but there are problems.
“Ordering a million people in Gaza to evacuate, when there’s no safe place to go, is not an effective warning,” said Clive Baldwin, senior legal adviser at Human Rights Watch. “The roads are rubble, fuel is scarce, and the main hospital is in the evacuation zone. This order does not alter Israel’s obligations in military operations to never target civilians and take all the measures it can to minimize harm to them. World leaders should speak up now before it is too late.”
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross echoed that call in a joint statement.
“Nothing can justify the horrific loss of civilian lives in Israel last weekend. Our hearts go out to people who lost family members or are anxiously awaiting news about their missing loved ones, which they should receive without delay. But such tragedy cannot in turn justify the limitless destruction of Gaza.”
