Israel-Hamas war: Politicians are making matters worse, not better
An explosion at the al Ahli hospital in Gaza on Tuesday killed many – officials linked to Hamas said up to 471 were killed.
This latest round of fighting has inflamed anger and violence well beyond the confines of the Israel/Hamas conflict.
The Israelis insist they have evidence which suggests that the damage was not inflicted by them, but instead by a misfired rocket by Hamas ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
That is not believed in the Arab world, most of whom say they want to see an independent investigation into what happened.
Regardless, “the first casualty of war is the truth” – so what prospect is there of stopping this current spiral of violence to avoid a significantly wider regional conflict?
Whether attributed to US politician Senator Hiram Warren Johnson in 1918; Dr Samuel Johnson in 1758, or even the ancient Greek dramatist Aeschylus around 550 BC, the quote about the truth being the first casualty of war would appear as true today as in Aeschylus’ time.
Despite the horrific and despicable events committed by Hamas on Israel on 7 October, it suits Hamas to frame the current conflict as one between Arab and Western ideals, and nothing appears off-limits.
And it has worked.
Violence has erupted all over the region in protest at Israel’s actions.
Even Jordan’s foreign minister has made clear that “no one is buying” the Israeli narrative about the Gaza hospital explosion.
A wounded baby in al Ahli hospital in Gaza
A member of the media walks in the area of the hospital
The West, and indeed most of the world, tolerates a wide range of religious beliefs in its population provided that the shared values of the nation endure.
However, having been responsible for creating the Jewish state of Israel, in the middle of an Arab region – which supplanted the resident Palestinian population at the time, the West has more than a degree of responsibility for solving the ensuing problems.
All sides know there is no military solution, yet in the absence of a political determination to chart a course for peace, the politicians take the easy route, hide behind inflamed rhetoric, and the casualties mount.
People clash with security forces during a protest near the US embassy in Awkar, Lebanon, after the explosion at al Ahli hospital
A man holds a Palestinian flag during a protest in Turkey after the hospital blast
Military action should be the route of last resort – and only then if it offers a clear objective. Instead, each side seems determined to inflict growing levels of violence, destruction and pain on each other, which makes the path to peace even more challenging.
Every country is entitled to protect its people – indeed, it is a priority.
However, in the current conflict, a perpetuation of the violence makes future conflict more – not less – likely.
So, the politicians involved are making matters worse, not better. Real political strength is not the ability to inflame, antagonise and incite – that might play to the crowd, but it is a negligent folly.
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Instead, great statesmanship is walking the hard road, of working tirelessly to get beyond the anger, to understand your adversary’s position, to seek compromise, understanding and accommodation.
This is no idealistic dream, this is the harsh reality that without supreme efforts, violence risks spiralling out of control. And, for normal Palestinians and Israelis, nobody wins.
The conflict in Israel is a direct result of a failure of politics and diplomacy.
Periodically, events attract the interest of international politicians, who then seek to apply a “quick fix” by focusing on the “symptoms” of the problem – such as now with the humanitarian crisis and hostage situation – and a few deftly placed sticky plasters are applied.
US President Joe Biden is welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to Tel Aviv
Rishi Sunak meets Mr Netanyahu in Israel. Pic: No 10 Downing Street
But the central disease endures, conveniently dormant but unresolved, until circumstances dictate, and the violence erupts again.
Occasionally, leaders can look beyond their own polarised view, swallow their pride and engage in slow but meaningful progress.
Yasser Arafat was the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) from 1969 to 2004, but gradually shifted his approach from open conflict with the Israelis and instead engaged in a series of negotiations with the Israeli government to end the conflict between it and the PLO.
These included the Madrid Conference of 1991, the 1993 Oslo Accords and the 2000 Camp David Summit.
The success of the negotiations in Oslo led to Arafat being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside Israeli Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, in 1994.
From left, Shimon Peres, Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin
And, despite Arafat being a polarising figure, progress was made. Following his demise, who was prepared to build on those foundations – from either side?
Who, on either side, is prepared to make such brave and potentially unpopular steps today?
Politicians are supposed to speak for their people rather than pursue firebrand rhetoric, and all are aware that there is no military solution to the Israel/Palestine/Hamas issue.
Normal Palestinians and Israeli families cannot want the current conflict to continue, to blight their lives and that of the next generation.
Palestinians gather around residential buildings destroyed in Israeli strikes in Zahra City in southern Gaza City
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As a former military officer, we had to have faith in our political masters, that they would explore every avenue available before committing their military to war – with all that war entails.
Can that test be passed today? In the absence of true political leadership, the violence continues – taking sides does not help, it simply hardens resolve.
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Each side blames the other, third party proxies fuel the hatred, and in the tsunami of casualties and anger, the truth becomes hard to find.
What a sad indictment on the apparent power of democracy that we know the path to peace, but systematically avoid taking such brave and difficult steps.
World
Bodies of four Israeli hostages handed over by Hamas – as parading of coffins labelled ‘inhumane’
The bodies of an Israeli mother and her two children have been handed over by Hamas – as the process was labelled “inhumane” by the United Nations human rights chief.
Shiri Bibas, four-year-old Ariel, and nine-month-old Kfir were kidnapped from a kibbutz during the militant group’s October 2023 attack.
The children’s father, Yarden Bibas, was released on 1 February as part of the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.
Live updates – Hamas attacks Netanyahu as it releases bodies
Shiri Bibas was filmed cradling Ariel and Kfir as they were kidnapped by Hamas
The body of journalist and peace activist Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted, was also handed over.
Hamas has said they were all killed in Israeli airstrikes near the start of the war. The group has never provided evidence to back this up, while Israel has not confirmed the claims.
The Bibas family has become a powerful symbol of the 251 Israelis kidnapped on 7 October – not least because Kfir was the youngest taken.
The bodies were handed to the Red Cross in the Gaza city of Khan Younis on Thursday morning.
Oded Lifshitz, 84, was also taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Pic: Bring Them Home Now
Four black coffins were displayed on a stage before being put into vehicles and driven towards Israel as masked members of Hamas and other factions looked on.
United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, called the parading of the four bodies “cruel” and “inhumane” in a statement on Thursday.
He said: “Under international law, any handover of the remains of deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families.”
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‘The life he thought he was coming back to is gone’
Sky’s international correspondent, Diana Magnay, added that Hamas used the handover as a “propaganda opportunity” and had tried to send the message: “This was caused by you, you should take responsibility for it.”
“They had missiles on the stage where the four coffins were, saying they were killed by US bombs,” Magnay said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also depicted as a vampire in an image behind the dead hostages.
Sombre moment for Israelis – as Hamas uses opportunity for propaganda
The return of the bodies of four Israeli hostages is a “sombre moment” for everybody in Israel and Jews across the world, our international correspondent Diana Magnay says.
She says the two young boys, Ariel and Kfir, “really became a symbol of the tremendous suffering 7 October caused”.
“Now, to have them returned back in this way is tragic.”
Referring to the scenes of coffins being transferred to the Red Cross, Magnay says Hamas has chosen to use this “as a propaganda opportunity”.
“They have missiles on the stage where the four coffins were, saying they were killed by US bombs,” she explains.
She says Hamas’s main message is “this was caused by you, you should take responsibility for it”.
She adds that 7 October was caused by Hamas, and has brought “untold suffering to both Israel and Palestinians”.
Israel’s heart ‘in tatters’
At the family’s request, the Israeli military held a small funeral before the bodies were taken to a Tel Aviv laboratory for DNA tests to verify their identity.
Mr Netanyahu said it would be “a very difficult day for the state of Israel”, while President Isaac Herzog said “the hearts of an entire nation lie in tatters” and asked for “forgiveness for not protecting you”.
The coffins were displayed on a stage. Pic: Reuters
The Israeli military later received the four bodies. Pic: IDF
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) posted on X saying it could confirm that Mr Lifshitz was “murdered… in captivity by Islamic Jihad”.
It added: “We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Yocheved, and to the rest of his family.”
Israel previously said it was extremely concerned about the condition of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir but had never confirmed their deaths.
All four of the Israelis were abducted at Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of a number of communities overrun by Hamas on the day of the surprise attack.
Video showed Shiri Bibas appearing terrified as she cradled her boys while they were taken into Gaza.
The boys’ father Yarden Bibas was released earlier this month. Pic: Reuters
The family said this week their “journey is not over” until they receive confirmation of what happened to Shiri and the boys.
Meanwhile, six living hostages, the final due to be freed under the first phase of the Gaza truce deal, will also be released on Saturday, according to Hamas.
Israelis who survived being held prisoner in Gaza have been released in small groups since the first six-week phase began last month.
Three more – Alexander Troufanov, Sagui Dekel Chen and Iair Horn – were freed last weekend. The swap included 369 Palestinians, the most released so far.
The deal has provided a vital pause in the fighting that’s devastated Gaza and left tens of thousands dead.
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Israeli hostage hugs wife
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Israel said negotiations on the second phase of the deal and an extension to the ceasefire would start this week.
Foreign minister Gideon Saar said it would involve the remaining hostages being exchanged for more Palestinian prisoners.
At least 1,200 people were killed in the attack that started the war.
Since then, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters.
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