The complete insensitivity we have seen in the last few days on social media, mostly from people who live outside of the region, regarding Israel’s decision to strike Gaza and resume the war has been unacceptable.
All of us here in Israel want to see Hamas defeated. We want to live our lives free of terrorism – free of rockets from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran. We don’t want to think about how best to equip our homes should we ever face another terrorist infiltration.
We want to be able to take a bus without worrying that someone placed an explosive in it. We want to sit at a bar in Tel Aviv without thinking about how to angle ourselves in case we need to run from a terrorist or gunfire.
This is our reality, and we don’t want it. We want more than anything to live differently.
But despite all of this, we want our hostages home even more.
Israelis woke up Tuesday morning to the news that under the direction of the prime minister and defense minister, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) began extensive airstrikes against Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives in Gaza.
Decision to strike Gaza
The Prime Minister’s Office said the decision was made for two reasons: Hamas rejected concrete mediation proposals led by US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and other mediators, and intelligence showed that Hamas was using the ceasefire to rearm and prepare for more attacks against Israelis.
The PMO stated that these were precise, preemptive airstrikes targeting Hamas and Islamic Jihad leadership, terrorist cells, launch sites, weapons stockpiles, and military infrastructure.
Media outlets report that around 400 Gazans have been killed, according to Hamas. At this stage, it’s impossible to verify those numbers or distinguish between combatants and civilians. Still, the images emerging from Gaza are difficult to see, combined with the growing dread about what this escalation could mean for the hostages who remain in captivity.
Hamas has called the October 7 massacre “a source of pride” for the Palestinian people and has vowed to repeat it. If they attempt another attack on Israel, our leadership has not only the right but the obligation to stop them.
In Israel, we understand this reality – and we are still devastated, knowing these airstrikes could collapse the ceasefire and jeopardize the hostages’ lives. For the 59 families whose loved ones are still in captivity, the anguish is relentless.
There are people both within Israel and abroad who have turned the hostage crisis into a political issue, but for the vast majority of us, this is not the case.
This is an extraordinarily complex and unprecedented situation that no other country or leader has faced. Most of us want the hostages home. Most of us want to see Hamas’s rule in Gaza end. And most of us understand that achieving both is extraordinarily difficult.
But no matter what, we are human first and foremost. We cannot discuss this crisis with the cold, detached cruelty we’ve seen online. Some social media activists – including Jews – have reacted to the collapse of the deal with celebration, many from the safety of countries far removed from the terror we endure.
Even if you believe resuming the war is necessary or opposed a hostage deal from the start, speaking about it with joy is callous and tone-deaf when so many Israelis feel an overwhelming sense of fear and despair.
There are valid criticisms of negotiating with Hamas. Many argue that any deal teaches our enemies that taking hostages works. This is a painful but reasonable point – one that Israelis themselves often express. Still, with the exception of certain government members, most Israelis make this argument with compassion and sensitivity.
We all care about Israel’s future and security. We all desperately want the hostages back safely. But when people treat the resumption of war like a victory or something to cheer for, they inflict more pain on Israelis. This is not a political game. Families wake up every day wondering if their loved ones are still alive. Even if you believe the war must continue, empathy and humanity must lead the conversation.
Now is not the time to be eager about war. Now is the time to demand that neighboring countries and the international community apply every possible form of pressure to force Hamas to release the hostages and surrender. Every ounce of energy must go toward holding terrorists and jihadists accountable – before it’s too late.
The writer is the co-founder and CEO of Social Lite Creative, a digital marketing firm that specializes in geopolitics.