Gaza
What would it take for a cease-fire to happen in Gaza?
Calls for a cease-fire and other limits on military operations and violence were made by governments, advocacy groups and political leaders around the world almost immediately after the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of 1,200 Israeli civilians by Hamas. Israel immediately declared war on Hamas and began shelling and then invaded Gaza, leading to more than […]
A reflexive act of military revenge burdened the US − and may do the same for Israel
In the wake of the shocking invasion of southern Israel by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy Hamas. “We are fighting a cruel enemy, worse than ISIS,” Netanyahu proclaimed four days after the invasion, comparing Hamas with the Islamic State group, which was largely defeated by U.S., […]
Denouncing ‘barbarians’ perpetuates the slaughter of innocents in Israel and Gaza
Ever since my first of many trips to Israel, in 1976, just three years after the Yom Kippur war, and only nine years after the Six Day War in which Israel gained the territory known as the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, filled with millions of Palestinians, as well as the Golan Heights and […]
Why the history of the densely populated Gaza strip is key to understanding the current conflict
The focus on conflict in the Middle East has again returned to the Gaza Strip, with Israel’s defense minister ordering a “complete siege” of the Palestinian enclave. The military operation, which involves extensive bombing of residences, follows a surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023, by Hamas militants who infiltrated Israel from Gaza and killed around […]
Biden denounces deadly Hamas attack on Israel: ‘There’s no justification for terrorism’
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden wants a returning Congress to take “urgent action” on Israel’s security needs after Hamas militants have injured and killed thousands beginning with Saturday’s brutal attack, including the deaths of 14 Americans. U.S. citizens are also among the hostages taken into Gaza by the armed group, though the administration could not […]