Hamas, Israel, and Gaza From The 'Flood of the Aqsa' to the Emptying of the Strip Decision Making between Right and Wrong (original) (raw)

The ongoing 'Flood of the Aqsa' since October 7, 2023, raises three pertinent questions: 1-Does the release of Palestinian detainees merit the value of sacrifices made by Gaza and the West Bank so far, in terms of human lives, properties, production centers, the Palestinian cause, in terms of the future, and as an entity? 2-Has Hamas, through its operation, provided a golden opportunity for Netanyahu's government and the extreme-right Israeli faction to directly end the Palestinian issue, in Gaza and in the West Bank, thereby displacing Palestinians? 3-Did Hamas intend to reaffirm its resilience, resistance, and leadership on the Palestinian scene by compelling Israel to accede to its conditions through the exchange of its captives for Palestinian detainees? It concludes with a fundamental question based on the long military conflict between PLO and Israel which ended in a compromise, even if it failed: will the current war pave the way for peace in the region? The long intermittent ceasefires over the last decade between Israel and Hamas suggest the possibility of coexistence between the two peoples. However, achieving this necessitates there is need for a sincere will and a rational and just approach focused on sovereignty and independence. Realpolitik on both sides is essential for such a solution, but it is currently lacking amid the smoke of battles and mass destruction.