Opinion | Genocide? Israel is fighting a just war against a terrorist organisation

Hamas is an internationally designated terrorist organisation which on October 7 launched one of the largest, most sickening acts of terror. This resulted in more than 1,200 innocent people of Israeli and 41 other nationalities being slaughtered – numerous women were also raped before being murdered. These acts define the very meaning of crimes against humanity.

Since October 7, Hamas has launched over 14,000 rockets at the state of Israel and continues to do so. The indiscriminate bombardment also affects Gazan residents who are also victims of these missiles that often misfire.

On October 7, Hamas terrorists infiltrated dozens of communities in Israel. These terrorists moved from house to house, systematically murdering innocent men, women and children. If they had the means, they would not have stopped. They would have continued to repeat these atrocities in as many communities in Israel as possible, which would have resulted in genocide.

A demonstrator holds a sign saying: “Silence, Hamas is raping”, at a rally by the Rape is Rape committee to “denounce the silence of international and feminist organisations” on rapes committed during the October 7 attack by Hamas militants on Israel, at the Unesco headquarters in Paris on December 1. Photo: AFP

It is no coincidence that this systematic approach to terror coincides with Hamas’ radical jihadist charter from 1988 that calls for the annihilation of the state of Israel. Hamas’ intention on October 7 was to perpetrate ethnic cleansing to the greatest extent possible. This was, is and will remain Hamas’ aim.

In addition to these atrocities, 240 innocent people were abducted on that day. This included civilians, including children and babies. There have been reports of abuse and the rape of female captives, several hostages have been murdered, and the Red Cross has not been permitted to visit them – yet more examples of war crimes.

So far, 249,000 Israelis have been internally displaced from southern and northern Israel and are living away from the rockets of Hamas and Hezbollah. They can only return home when the terrorist threat has been eliminated.

South Africa’s accusation against Israel at the International Court of Justice is politicising the concept of genocide. Israel is acting against terrorism in the Gaza Strip in accordance with international law, directing its military efforts against only Hamas and other terrorist organisations there. It does not target Palestinians who aren’t involved in terrorism.

South Africa, acting as Hamas’ de facto legal arm, has incorrectly used the term “genocide” to describe Israel’s efforts to eradicate Hamas, ignoring the mortal threat Hamas poses to Israeli citizens and the atrocities of October 7 that led to this war. It distorts facts and emboldens Hamas to recommit its crimes as its leaders have promised to do.

The claim lacks any factual or legal basis; the term “genocide” was defined in the aftermath of the Holocaust by a Jewish lawyer to mean acts with the intent to “destroy in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group”.

Every country has the right to defend itself and its citizens from hostile attacks and Israel is no exception. The war in the Gaza Strip against Hamas is an involuntary war imposed by Hamas.

Israel-Gaza war: don’t rewrite the past and ignore Hamas’ brutality

Hamas uses the people of Gaza as human shields, builds weapons depots in hospitals, under children’s beds and in schools, and seizes relief packages from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for its own use. It builds tunnels for its own safety and disguises its fighters as civilians, including terrorist combatants in the “official” casualty count that they control.

Under these difficult conditions, Israel is doing its utmost to mitigate civilian loss of life in accordance with the rules of war, while permitting the entrance of humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip. The scope of incoming aid (more than 9,000 trucks so far) is limited only by the capabilities of the UN and other aid agencies to receive and distribute the supplies in the strip. At the same time, Hamas operatives are stealing the aid so it can reach their operatives and tunnels.

Israel’s political system has a variety of ideas – it is part of the national DNA of our society – but the aims of the war, as set by the government, are clear: we are not operating in Gaza to stay there, but rather to overthrow Hamas, remove the threat posed by them to our citizens and borders, and to liberate the hostages.

We are fighting a just war to protect our borders and civilians from a terrorist organisation that does not value human life – whether Israeli, uninvolved Palestinians or otherwise. The state of Israel will never permit October 7 to happen again. At the same time, we extend our hand in peace to any country that desires open and sincere dialogue with us.

Amir Lati is the consul general of Israel in Hong Kong

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Israel-Gaza war: don’t rewrite the past and ignore Hamas’ brutality

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