While we have witnessed warfare and bloodshed in genocides and mass murders that have unfurled within our memory, this time, something feels different. As Hamas terrorists celebrate the carnage of Israeli civilians with a horrifying regularity, we are once again exposed to a startling depth of depravity–the kind that has undermined my faith in humanity. How, I wonder, when thousands of innocent civilians are being mercilessly slaughtered, can we not feel consumed by heartache? How, as Hamas continues its brazen attacks, grotesquely documenting atrocities and irrationally slaughtering the Jewish population, can the world be so silent?
As homes and communities continue to be set ablaze and children torn from the safety of their mothers’ arms, our humanity too is among the casualties. Indiscriminately ending the lives of Jewish elders, babies, and young people at a festival, Hamas has resurfaced painful memories of a calamity of a far greater magnitude: the Holocaust. In exploiting social media to document the killings, the terrorist organization has demonstrated a sheer lack of humanity and care for human life. In the face of this, how can one not ponder the pressing question: could “never again” be now?
“Acts such as systematic murder and hostage-taking are grave violations of the Geneva Conventions, as well as crimes under international criminal law,” the New York Times said in reaction to the Hamas attacks. Moreover, if we delve into the key principle of jus bello–the law that governs conduct in war–it is stated that innocent civilians may not, under any circumstance, be targeted for military purposes. This holds true “regardless of the of the legality of the underlying conflict, and regardless of whether the opposing side has itself violated humanitarian law,” the New York Times said. Thus, there is no question that the Hamas attacks have involved numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity. Yet, much of the world has seemed to dismiss the obvious breaches under international law and instead side with Hamas and its attempts to flip the narrative to justify the violence.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk ultimately released a statement, demanding that Palestine release all captured civilians after defying international law. Disregarding the statement, however, Hamas has continued to hold its hostages as leverage to hold over Israel and its war effort. And while many see the Israeli siege on Gaza as the real war crime, the effort is merely the only way for Israel to return its hostages safely home. What people don’t consider is that the deadliness of the siege will depend on its length–a choice in the hands of the Hamas terrorists.
For many, the Hamas attacks have carried a sort of eerie familiarity. The brutality and hate that animates Hamas is not new to the Jewish people; they have faced this before, though they never thought they would have to again on such a large scale. Despite decades of strict condemnation of the Holocaust, somehow hate has presided, and Jews, in utter disbelief, are reminded of the painful memories left by the genocide of their people. In fact, it seems as though a great majority of our population has carried this hatred–a hatred resonant of the resentment carried by Hitler’s legions. And as anti-Semites come together to promote misinformation and propaganda, fear and panic set in once again. How have we let this happen? It is overwhelmingly disappointing and horrifying to consider.
Ultimately, while conflict is inevitable, violence only distances us from the results we desire: peace and justice. It is when we lose sight of the notion that each human life is precious and invaluable that we lose touch with humanity.
