We must not let Hamas off the hook

Saturday marks seven weeks since the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists on civilians in southern Israel. Around 1,200 were killed and at least 247 were taken hostage, including around 40 children. On Friday 13 Israelis, including four children, and a group of Thai nationals, who were farm workers, were released by the terrorists. 

The freeing of the hostages is not because of a change of heart by Hamas, but part of a deal involving the temporary cessation of hostilities, the admittance of humanitarian aid to Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners. 

So far, Israel’s operation against Hamas in Gaza has been a success. Much of the terrorists’ extensive network of tunnels has been destroyed, and their northern Gaza headquarters has been captured.

While Western governments have rightly been broadly supportive of Israel – albeit this backing coming with perhaps excessive hand-wringing and soul searching – the same cannot be said for large sections of the Left in the UK, continental Europe, and indeed the United States.

Too many have been all too ready to excuse Hamas’s attacks in the name of sympathy for the Palestinian people. Regardless of rights and wrongs of past actions in the region, nothing could ever justify the brutal murder of civilians or the kidnapping of children and the elderly. The youngest hostage is 10 months old, the oldest 85. 

Politicians from the Labour Left, the SNP and the Green Party demanded Israel cease fire even before the IDF had crossed into Gaza. Would any country other than Israel be urged to show magnanimity under similar circumstances? 

The fact that children are being released by Hamas will remind the world who instigated the current conflict and who has perpetrated war crimes. The kidnapping of non-combatants, and especially children, is an unambiguous war crime. Yet London’s “pro-Palestinian” marchers have only shown opprobrium against Israel.

While humanitarian aid making its way into Gaza is welcome, there is growing concern that it is Hamas which stands to benefit the most from the pause in hostilities. As John Bolton, the former US national security adviser, writes in these pages, Hamas has been offered a lifeline enabling it to buy time.

After the agreed release of the first 50 hostages, the “pause” will be extended by 24 hours for every further 10 hostages released – time that may allow Hamas terrorists the chance to regroup and plan future attacks. This risks prolonging the conflict and Western nations must be unequivocal in stating that Israel remains justified in defending itself so long as the Hamas threat remains. 

This Sunday there will be a rather different march in London than those witnessed on recent Saturdays. The March Against Anti-Semitism will see many tens of thousands of non-Jews demonstrate their solidarity with Britain’s Jewish community, who have come under shameful attack in recent weeks. Its message will be one of hope, not hate.