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Nearly 11 months since the war on Gaza started, Hamas’s defeat is elusive, but the catastrophe is very evident. Since the October 7th attacks, many have been wondering about Israel’s objectives in this war. On October 28th, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answered part of these questions in his Wall Street Journal opinion piece, published in December 2023, stating, “Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza must be demilitarized, and Palestinian society must be deradicalized. Despite global pressure for a ceasefire, including massive protests around the world and on US college campuses, the Israeli objectives have not changed much. Netanyahu reiterated his intent to continue the war in Gaza: “I am not willing to end the war and leave Hamas as it is,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Israel’s Channel 14. The critical question we need to be asking is: Are these objectives realistic? I would say no for three reasons. Firstly, Israel underestimates Hamas’s cross-border network. Hamas enjoys strong ties with other armed religious groups in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria and the Houthis in Yemen. Hamas is also linked to a larger Muslim Brotherhood movement, which cuts across borders and represents one of the oldest and largest Islamist movements in the region. Shifting Regional Dynamics Hezbollah’s support for Bashar Al-Assad in the Syrian civil war adversely impacted the group’s credibility in the eyes of a big portion of the Arab public. Many Lebaneselebanese people saw the intervention as a departure from Hezbollah’s founding mission—to fight the Israeli occupation in Lebanon and other territories. The group is reemerging as a credible resistance movement, aiming to defend the people of Gaza by responding to Israeli bombardments with dozens of rockets fired into northern Israel. The same applies to the Houthis, a group that is negatively perceived as a proxy for Iran in Yemen. Now, the group is asserting itself as an important regional power. By targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz linked to Israel or the US, the Houthis have re-established their cachet with many who support armed resistance in the Arab world. Of note is Egypt’s shifting stance towards Hamas. Despite a previous decision by an Egyptian court to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization, Egypt’s previous foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, refrained from labeling Hamas as such in a recent interview with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). When asked whether the government of Egypt views Hamas as both a resistance movement and a terrorist group, Shoukry responded, “At this stage, it’s counterproductive to try to make these distinctions.” This statement signifies a significant change in Egypt’s public messaging concerning Hamas, possibly influenced by public opinion within Egypt These swift transformations in the perceptions of the public and governments in the Middle East suggest that Hamas could gain resources in the region. Leaders in the region have warned that the catastrophe in Gaza will empower radical groups. For example, Bahrain, a country that normalized its relationship with Israel by signing the Abraham Accords in 2020, expressed concerns. The Crown Prince and Prime Minister, addressing the Manama Dialogue Security Summit, argued that the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the US invasion of Iraq created Al Qaeda and ISIS. “Think about what this will create in the age of social media. I think we will be looking at a far more difficult next 20 years,” he said. Many view the actions of Arab leaders as limited and ineffective in defending the rights of the Palestinian people. Despite their calls for ceasefires and their issuance of condemnations, these efforts are perceived by many as simplistic and lacking substance compared to the measures taken during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, when Arab leaders used an oil embargo and diplomatic pressure to gain leverage in peace negotiations. Combined with the limited capacity of the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, this scenario makes a militaristic response to the Israeli invasion seem like the only viable option for many Palestinians under occupation. The interventions by Arab leaders have fallen short of expectations, eroding public trust. The Public Outrage: Social Media’s Role in Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis The ongoing catastrophe in Gaza, triggered by Israel’s sustained bombardment of one of the world’s most densely populated cities, has ignited widespread anger, particularly among Arabs and Muslims. Many express a willingness to send their country’s troops to fight alongside Hamas at massive protests across cities in the region. Disturbing images depicting civilian casualties and the devastation in Gaza circulate extensively on social media, prompting public expressions of solidarity with the resistance. There are numerous images circulated on social media depicting children in the region wearing Hamas uniforms indicating a strong sympathy with Hamas. Additionally, graffiti portraying Hamas spokesperson Abu Ubeida adorned the walls of various cities in the Middle East. This unprecedented expression of these protests in the region signifies a significant shift in public sentiment. Social media has spurred mass protests across the region that succeeded in ousting several regimes, including those in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, and Libya. Now, more young people than ever in the region are using social media. While social media allows for real-time documentation and reporting of events, bringing international attention to humanitarian crises in Gaza that might otherwise go unreported, it also facilitates the sharing of unverified information and the spread of hate speech from both sides. Hamas has successfully used social media to communicate its messages to millions of people in the region and around the world. Conclusion: An Alternative Pathway to Peace The extensive Hamas network, including both armed and non-armed regional groups, shifting political stances in its Favor, and growing public support while reducing government opposition to Hamas—fueled by widespread outrage over the war’s impact—all indicate that Israel’s objective to destroy Hamas’s military and governing capabilities is impossible despite the violent strategy it has chosen. As the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza escalates, the desire for vengeance grows, leading to an increased willingness to join violent movements, and the cycle of violence continues. An alternative is to open prospects for real peace through diplomatic deals. Israel should focus on hostage exchanges, an immediate ceasefire, and contribute to reparations that address the gravity of the situation and the victims in Gaza. It will be equally important to collaborate with Palestinians, Arabs, and the U.S. toward a long peace process that takes real action toward the creation of a free Palestinian state. This state would provide Palestinians with dignity and peace and ensure security and stability for both states. To achieve this, a series of dialogues could be held by the UN involving all relevant Palestinian factions, Israeli political parties, young people, and key international stakeholders. These discussions should address the root causes of the current situation and explore potential long-term solutions, including a framework for a two-state solution.

Is there an Alternate Pathway to Peace in Gaza?

Nearly 11 months since the war on Gaza started, Hamas’s defeat is elusive, but the…

admin 2024-10-27T10:53:56+00:00

Water, Peace, and Politics: The Ethiopian Renaissance Dam from Polarization to Prosperity

In December 2023, Egypt unilaterally declared the end of a 12-year negotiation process over the…

admin 2024-10-27T10:49:20+00:00
United Nations’ Summit of the Future: Three Key Issues Overlooked in the Outcome Document “This summit is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate global action…” – UN Secretary-General António Guterres After two years of preparation and over nine months of negotiations, world leaders gathered in New York at the “Summit of the Future.” They adopted the outcome document, “The Pact for the Future,” which includes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations.

United Nations’ Summit of the Future: Three Key Issues Overlooked in the Outcome Document

      “This summit is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate global action…” – UN…

admin 2024-10-27T10:44:56+00:00

Mapping Grassroots Peace Negotiations Led by Civil Society and Youth in Conflict- A?ected Countries

    Harvard Negotiation & Mediation Clinical Program (HNMCP) partners with Justice Call for an…

admin 2024-10-27T10:28:05+00:00

Youth and the Responsibility to Protect:

Strengthening the Role of Youth in Implementing RtoP in the MENA Region

The people of the world continue to witness persistent and tectonic geopolitical developments around the…

admin 2023-09-10T14:56:48+00:00

Justice Call take part in Seminar

Justice Call take part in Seminar: Enhancing interregional and multilevel co- operation to support local…

admin 2020-10-01T12:06:07+00:00

Justice call and terre des hommes organized a workshop on SDG16+

Justice Call organized in partnership with Terre des hommes an interactive workshop on SDG 16+…

admin 2020-10-01T12:04:51+00:00

Justice call in partnership with global university

Justice Call director, Khaled Imam facilitated two workshops for the students of the Global University…

admin 2020-10-01T12:01:35+00:00

Justice call director approached to brief the UN PBC on situation of youth around the world

For the second time since the adoption of 2250 in 2015, the UN Peacebuilding Commission…

admin 2020-10-01T11:59:26+00:00

Justice call co-launched MENA region coalition on Youth Peace and Security Regional Coalition in the MENA Region on Youth Peace & Security (YPS)

The 75th anniversary of the United Nations, and the end of World War II, should…

admin 2020-10-01T11:50:17+00:00

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