Countering biased narratives on Gaza war – Firstpost

Israel’s recent actions in Gaza, particularly the decision to restrict aid, have drawn sharp criticism from various international actors. However, much of the outrage fails to acknowledge the fundamental issue at hand: Hamas, a militant terrorist organisation, continues to hold hostages, use civilians as human shields, and reject reasonable ceasefire terms. While the suffering of civilians is tragic, Israel has every right to defend its citizens and use legitimate means to pressure Hamas into a peace deal that ensures lasting security.

Israel’s Right to Defend Its People

Like any responsible democratic nation, Israel is duty-bound to protect its citizens from terrorist threats. The conflict did not begin with Israel’s recent actions; it began with Hamas’ heinous attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the brutal murder of 1,200 innocent people and the taking of 250 hostages. Hamas’ unprovoked aggression forced Israel into a defensive war. The failure of international critics to consistently acknowledge Hamas’ role as the primary aggressor reflects a deeply flawed bias in discussions about the Israel-Gaza conflict.

While critics accuse Israel of using aid restrictions as leverage, they ignore Hamas’ continued violations of ceasefire agreements. It is Hamas that has refused to release the remaining hostages, prolonging the suffering of both Israeli and Gaza civilians. The calls for Israel to unilaterally allow aid into Gaza without securing hostage releases or dismantling Hamas’ military infrastructure fundamentally misunderstand the nature of the conflict.

The Reality of Hamas’ Role in Civilian Suffering

One of the most misleading narratives propagated in international discourse is that Israel is solely responsible for Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. In reality, Hamas bears significant responsibility for the suffering of Gaza’s civilians.

Hamas has a long history of misusing humanitarian aid. Reports from Israel’s military intelligence and independent investigations have confirmed that Hamas routinely diverts food, medicine, and other supplies meant for civilians to its fighters. The tunnels that Hamas has built—often beneath schools, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure—were not constructed overnight; they were funded and built using resources that could have been directed toward public welfare.

Despite Israel’s easing of restrictions under US pressure, Hamas has failed to ensure that aid reaches civilians fairly. Hamas militants have been documented hoarding food supplies, selling humanitarian goods at inflated prices, and obstructing aid distribution for political gain. Accusations that Israel is engaging in “starvation as a weapon” fail to consider Hamas’ own cynical use of humanitarian suffering as a political tool.

Ceasefire Terms: Hamas, Not Israel, Is the Obstacle

The international community has repeatedly pressured Israel to agree to ceasefires, yet little attention is given to Hamas’ refusal to accept reasonable terms. The proposed ceasefire extension through Ramadan and Passover—facilitated by the US—was conditioned on Hamas releasing hostages and ceasing its rocket attacks. Instead of engaging in genuine negotiations, Hamas delays, hoping to extract unrealistic concessions.

History has shown that ceasefires with Hamas often serve as mere tactical pauses before the group resumes hostilities. In previous conflicts, Hamas has used ceasefires to rearm, regroup, and plan future attacks. The claim that Israel is the party jeopardising peace is misleading; it is Hamas that benefits from a state of perpetual conflict while refusing to make meaningful moves toward de-escalation.

Distorted Death Toll and Civilian Casualties

A significant point of contention in the discourse surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict is the death toll. Reports claim that over 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, with a significant portion being civilians. However, these figures originate from Gaza’s Health Ministry, an entity controlled by Hamas, and independent analysts have repeatedly questioned their accuracy. Hamas has a vested interest in inflating casualty numbers and presenting its fighters as civilians to manipulate global opinion.

Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. However, it is Hamas that has turned civilian areas into battlegrounds. By embedding itself within densely populated areas, using schools and hospitals as military bases, and preventing civilians from evacuating, Hamas deliberately ensures high casualties to garner international sympathy. Israel, on the other hand, has made efforts—such as issuing evacuation warnings—to minimise civilian harm, a practice virtually unheard of among other military forces engaged in urban combat.

Misguided Accusations of Genocide and War Crimes

Israel’s adversaries have sought to frame its military actions as “genocide” or “war crimes”, with cases being filed in international courts. However, these allegations ignore key legal principles and the realities of asymmetric warfare. Under international law, genocide entails an intentional effort to eradicate an entire population. Israel’s actions in Gaza, while part of an aggressive military campaign against Hamas, do not meet this threshold. Unlike Hamas’ indiscriminate targeting of civilians, Israel focuses on military objectives and takes precautions to mitigate collateral damage.

Moreover, the International Criminal Court’s past actions demonstrate an alarming double standard. While it moves swiftly against Israel, it has primarily ignored Hamas’ explicit war crimes, including mass executions, use of human shields, and the targeted killing of Israeli civilians. This selective application of justice undermines the credibility of international institutions.

A More Honest Approach to the Conflict

The world must recognise that Israel is fighting a defensive war against a terrorist entity committed to its destruction. Calls for uncritical humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, without ensuring proper distribution mechanisms, risk empowering Hamas rather than helping civilians. Israel, like any sovereign nation, has the right to safeguard its citizens and demand reasonable terms for ceasefire agreements.

Criticism of Israel should be based on facts, not misleading narratives that ignore Hamas’ role in perpetuating the crisis. If international actors genuinely seek peace, they must pressure Hamas to release hostages, disarm, and abandon its goal of annihilating Israel. Until then, Israel’s measures to counter Hamas’ terrorism should be understood not as acts of cruelty but as necessary steps to secure its people and the region’s stability.

The writer is the Director of the Centre for Legislative Research and Advocacy, New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.