Why Hamas does what it does….

Historians have the benefit of hindsight. Books will certainly be published, and dissertations written, for years about Israel’s October 2023 surprise, and its analysis and explanations. The causes will have to be examined and lessons learned, and there will be time for such reckoning in the months following the war.

But it does not take a historian to realize that the country was caught completely, tragically unprepared for such a strategic ambush on such an unprecedented scale. From the political echelon to the military level, to the analysts of Israel’s famed intelligence services, everyone failed to predict the shocking surprise that had been planned for a year.

Already, the General Chief of Staff of the IDF, the Head of Military Intelligence, the Head of Shin Bet, and the National Security Advisor have each admitted– separately–that they failed the country.

For years, Israel believed that allowing money and business to flow into Gaza would help improve the standard of living and lower Gazans’ appetite for violence. Many believed that, as long as Qatar sends $30 million a month to Hamas for salaries– and as long as Israel allows tens of thousands of Gazans to commute to work in Israel and earn a decent salary– we can somehow co-exist with a terror organization governing the Strip. We believed that they would have realized that defeating the IDF was simply impossible.

We failed to identify their overarching desire to inflict death on Israelis, even at the cost of keeping their own people in permanent misery. Indeed, dooming them to increased misery.

As I write this note from Jerusalem, my country–our beloved Israel–is going through what will likely be remembered as the worst trauma in its short and pained history.

Israel was invaded–on a day that was both Shabbat, and the holy day of Simchat Torah –by over 1,500 blood-thirsty Hamas terrorists who massacred over 1,300 Israelis viciously and sadistically: mutilating, butchering, raping, and burning alive babies, men, women, and the elderly.

They perpetrated the biggest terror attack per capita in modern history, and the worst massacre of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust. At the time of this writing, 203 hostages are held in the hands of Hamas.

The barbaric rampage was carried out by people who possess zero humanity.

We Jews believe every person is created in the image of G-d. If I were a devout believer, I think I’d be having a crisis of faith. Animals kill primarily for food or territory. Hamas terrorists killed out of sheer hatred and sadistic pleasure. They streamed live videos of themselves as they were beating, murdering, and burning their victims. They sent taunting messages on their victims’ cell phones to hostages’ families, so they could watch their loved ones being tortured. They piled up babies, doused them with gasoline, and burned them alive.

These were not the actions of a “freedom movement.” They had no political objectives. Terror was the point. To terrorize was the objective.

Their atrocities reached, despicable levels of sadism previously seen only with Nazis and ISIS. These aren’t soldiers fighting with a sense of purity of arms for noble, or at least understandable, goals.

These are not people fighting for independence. A two-state solution is the last thing on their mind. Living peacefully side-by-side with Israel represents everything they despise, and they are willing to kill–and die–to prevent it.

And their supporters in pro-Palestine demonstrations around the world, including Chicago, celebrating the orgy of death, are mistaken if they think that supporting Hamas will help the Palestinian people. Hamas are fighting to kill Israelis. They are fighting to kill Jews. And they are indifferent if Americans, Israeli Arabs, Europeans, Africans, or Asians are murdered too, as “collateral damage.”

If Israel does not stop Hamas, they will export their jihad to Europe and their antisemitic attacks to the streets, synagogues, and campuses of the United States.

In previous rounds of violence with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Israel always tried to limit the damage inflicted on our enemies–especially civilians. That was so because of our innate decency, hatred of warfare, and a desire to avert a humanitarian crisis. By limiting our response, we were not solving the problem of terrorism.

A political solution was clearly needed, but unachievable while Gaza was ruled by a terror organization with the sole mission of killing all Jews. One does not negotiate with ISIS, with Al Qaeda–or with Hamas.

By avoiding an all-out war and all its implications, Israel deferred a resolution, subjecting its own citizens to countless rounds of rocket attacks. After the October 7 massacre, there can be no doubt that Hamas must be destroyed once and for all, its top leaders removed from political and military power, and its entire infrastructure razed in a way that precludes its restoration.

It is an achievable goal, but one that will carry with it a heavy death toll on both sides. Without completing this goal, though, we will be condemning our society to more massacres and carnage in the future. It is our government’s responsibility to ensure that this massacre is never repeated.

Once the goal of dismantling Hamas is achieved, Israel–together with the United States and other allies in the international community–will need to find a creative way to bring governance to Gaza that is neither Israeli nor terroristic. Perhaps the international community will rule Gaza on a temporary basis until a reformed, hopefully democratic, Palestinian Authority can take over. Whatever the solution, Hamas cannot–will not– be a part of it.

Israeli society is, as always, strong, resilient, and united. At times like these, our civil society steps up like no other, providing material support as well as comfort to the terror victims, to those who lost loved ones, and to the tens of thousands who have lost their homes.

Israelis could not do this without the help of a strong, committed, and generous Zionist Jewish diaspora supporting us at our most difficult and painful moment. JUF and the entire Chicago community has once again come through, with its Israel Emergency Fund and direct donations, but most importantly with messages of support and encouragement which are so appreciated by us here.

On behalf of all Israelis, on behalf of your family in JUF’s Partnership region of Kiryat Gat, Lachish, and Shafir, we say todah !
Ofer Bavly is a JUF Vice President and the Director General of the JUF Israel Office.