The grotesque spectacle on 19 January of three female hostages, tortured for 470 days in Gaza's jails, being paraded through a hostile crowd before their release to the Red Cross, encapsulates the barbarism of Hamas.
This tragic event underscores the reality that Hamas bears full responsibility for the war that broke on that day and subsequently brought about the suffering inflicted on both Israelis and Palestinians and the devastation of Gaza.
The time has come for the global community to confront this truth: there's no hope with Hamas. There's no peace with Hamas. Hamas is a roadblock to peace and stability, and its continued rule over Gaza spells ruin for the Palestinians and for the region.
Hamas's boundless brutality was laid bare on October 7, when its forces launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, bombing cities and villages, burning homes on their inhabitants, raping and maiming, killing over 1,400 civilians, as well as taking more than 250 hostages, including children, babies and the elderly.
Countless families shattered by violence
These actions shattered countless families in a wave of violence that continues to haunt the region. Yet, the suffering does not stop with Israelis.
Gazans, too, bear the brunt of Hamas's destructive governance. While claiming to champion Palestinian liberation, Hamas has prioritized dictatorship and militarization over the well-being of its people, instrumentalizing humanitarian aid as a means of oppression and redirecting resources toward building tunnels and stockpiling weapons.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is a direct consequence of Hamas's misrule, which reduced Gaza to a landscape of despair. Not only now but also before the October 7 attack, Gaza's basic infrastructure lies in ruins, the economy was in a wreck, healthcare was inadequate, and unemployment soared, exceeding 50% (World Bank, 2023).
Hamas's obsession with armed conflict has trapped Gazans in perpetual suffering, with no vision for a future beyond war. The most blatant illustration is the construction of hundreds of kilometers of terror tunnels, which Hamas used to smuggle arms and also imprison and torture Israeli hostages. Still, they deny entry to Gazan citizens for shelter.
Hamas's obsession with armed conflict has trapped Gazans in perpetual suffering. Beyond the tangible destruction, Hamas's Natzi ideology fosters a culture of martyrdom and hatred, perpetuating cycles of violence. The education system in Gaza, under Hamas's control, glorifies violence and jihad over coexistence and peace, as reported by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education Institute (IMPACT-se, 2023).
Hamas's stranglehold on Gaza forecloses any hope for a better future. For Gazans, this means living under a regime that prioritizes violence over prosperity. For Israelis, it means enduring relentless attacks that upend lives and undermine the hope for peace.
And for the broader region, Hamas represents a destabilizing force that perpetuates cycles of hostility and promotes radical Islamism and Iranian interests. Indeed, Hamas's allegiance to Iran—the so-called "axis of evil"—further entangles the region in turmoil, as Tehran's influence fuels extremism and aggression.
The international community must be vocal and recognize that a Gaza ruled by Hamas offers no pathway to peace, only a continuation of conflict, suffering, and instability for both the Palestinians and Israelis.
The removal of Hamas is not merely an Israeli interest; it is a regional necessity. Without Hamas, Gaza could rebuild. Without Hamas, Gazans and Israelis might begin to envision a future unshackled from perpetual conflict.
A few hours ago, it was reported that, in a meeting with the Egyptian intelligence chief, an agreement was reached with the heads of the Mossad and Shin Bet that the Palestinian Authority will manage the Rafah Crossing under international supervision and monitoring by the UN.
The Prime Minister's Office confirmed the involvement of the Palestinian Authority at the Rafah Crossing, alongside Gazans "who are not affiliated with Hamas and have been vetted by the Shin Bet."
This is a good start, but it is imperative that the global community acts decisively and supports efforts to dismantle Hamas's power structure.
Hamas's continued rule guarantees only despair for Gazans, perpetual fear for Israelis, and enduring instability for the region. The world must not stand idly by. Now is the time to envision and work toward a future where the shadow of Hamas no longer looms over the Middle East.