Hamas’s Strategic Choices and the Inevitability of Gaza’s Destruction
Victor Davis Hanson argues that the destruction of Gaza was not an unavoidable consequence of Israeli policy but a direct result of Hamas’s specific strategic decisions. He contends that the conflict could have been avoided if Hamas had surrendered the 251 hostages and the perpetrators of the October 7 attacks, or if it had not integrated its military infrastructure into civilian areas. Hanson asserts that Hamas’s refusal to cooperate, its use of human shields, and its participation in an Iranian-backed regional strategy made the subsequent Israeli military response inevitable. He rejects external critiques of Israel’s actions, arguing that concepts like proportionality and accusations of genocide or apartheid are historically and factually inconsistent with the realities of the conflict and the demographics of the region.
Key points
- Hamas could have avoided the ground war by returning 251 hostages and surrendering the architects of the October 7 massacre, a step critics of Israel fail to suggest as an alternative.
- Hamas launched over 25,000 missiles and rockets at Israel within a year of the attack, escalating the conflict rather than seeking peace.
- Hamas deliberately placed tunnel entrances and military assets beneath homes, hospitals, and schools, using civilians as human shields, which increased the death toll.
- Hanson argues that Hamas’s participation in an Iranian-sponsored 'ring of fire' strategy, involving Hezbollah and the Houthis, made the destruction of Gaza a predictable outcome of its own actions.
- The author rejects claims of Israeli genocide, noting that the Gazan population grew by 60% between 2005 and 2023, and dismisses accusations of apartheid by pointing to the full civil rights enjoyed by Arab citizens in Israel.
Background
This piece by Victor Davis Hanson, published in The Daily Signal, offers a retrospective analysis of the Gaza conflict following the October 7, 2023 attacks. It positions the destruction of Gaza as a result of Hamas’s internal governance and military strategies rather than external Israeli aggression. The article contrasts the current situation with the 2005 Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, arguing that the subsequent 18 years of Hamas rule focused on militarization rather than development. It also addresses broader geopolitical narratives, including the role of Iran in funding proxy groups and the perceived double standards in international condemnation of Israeli actions versus other regional conflicts.
Why it matters
The argument challenges the prevailing narrative that the destruction of Gaza was an unavoidable byproduct of Israeli security needs, instead placing the causal responsibility on Hamas’s refusal to de-escalate and its integration of military operations with civilian infrastructure. It highlights the strategic calculations of Hamas and its regional allies, suggesting that the conflict’s scale was a deliberate choice rather than a reactive necessity. This perspective is significant for understanding the political and military dynamics that shape the Middle East, particularly regarding the role of non-state actors and the limits of international intervention.
What to watch
The article does not propose specific future actions but implies that the current state of affairs is a direct result of past decisions. It suggests that without a fundamental change in the behavior of groups like Hamas, the cycle of violence and destruction will continue. The piece also hints at the broader implications of the merging of antisemitic socialism and anti-Israeli Islamism in Western politics, which may influence future international responses to the conflict.
- Victor Davis Hanson: What Might Have Saved Gaza? The Daily Signal
- ‘We’ve paid the price for war. We haven’t yet reaped the fruits of peace’ +972 Magazine
- ‘The army told us we were on our own’: Oct. 7 survivors return to Gaza border kibbutz Ynetnews
- The Theft of the Story The Times of Israel
- Emory Chabad commemorates October 7 attacks through challah-baking event The Emory Wheel
Want the full story? Read the original reporting
Read on The Daily Signal