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As conflict intensifies between Hamas and Israel, shocking revelations emerge regarding the disparate treatment Hamas accords to its Israeli hostages in comparison to the broader population of Gaza.
Recently released Israeli hostages, Yocheved Lifshitz and Nourit Kuper, octogenarians from the kibbutz Nir Oz, recounted an unexpected level of care and attention during their captivity after their capture during a Hamas assault on October 7th. They conveyed tales of relatively comfortable living conditions and an almost solicitous regard for their well-being. One narrated how each hostage had a designated attendant, meticulously tending to even the most intimate of tasks. The hostages reportedly lacked nothing, enjoying amenities including shampoo, conditioner, and medications.
The extensive network of Gaza’s underground, carved by Hamas, paints a conflicting picture. Consisting of a vast maze of tunnels spanning tens of kilometers and booby traps, these channels are designed both for the protection of Hamas combatants and as staging grounds for assaults. The environments in which hostages found themselves are in stark contrast to the evident destitution above ground. Such infrastructure underscore Hamas’s capacity to safeguard and provide acceptable living standards to a select few, while the majority of its citizenry is egregiously overlooked.
While Hamas is well prepared to confront Israel from these underground sanctuaries, the civilians of Gaza face an unenviable fate. Wedged between Israeli bombardments and the apathy of their leaders, they suffer immensely. This glaring discrepancy in the treatment of hostages versus the general populace prompts questions about Hamas’s true priorities. If such a level of care is attainable for their hostages, why is it denied to their own people? At least for a part of them?
Human “Shields” Opting for Home’s Relative Safety
In the pervasive chaos of Gaza, many who fled southwards in search of sanctuaries have subsequently returned home, coming to terms with the omnipresent unrest and devastation. This bleak reality is underscored by a grim resignation: if danger looms everywhere, one might as well face potential death at home.
Egypt, sharing its southern boundary with the Gaza Strip, has not offered respite. Despite the pressing humanitarian crisis, Egypt declines to host the two million Gazans in its expansive Sinai region. The on-ground scenario is dire. With shattered infrastructure and a severe shortage of medical supplies, surgeons find themselves operating without anesthesia. The haunting screams of children undergoing such procedures without pain relief paint a chilling picture of the circumstances.
This raises pressing questions: why, given the conflict’s prolonged history, hasn’t Hamas provided underground shelters for Gaza’s populace? Why aren’t there underground medical facilities to afford decent care to Palestinian civilians, especially during warfare?
The existence of tunnels for Hamas combatants is well documented, often utilized for military objectives and infiltration. Given the organization’s evident capability to construct such amenities for military purposes, the absence of similar provisions for civilian protection is striking.
It’s becoming increasingly evident that Hamas bears substantial culpability in this tragedy. Instead of ensuring the welfare and safety of the people it claims to represent, other priorities seem to prevail. In this scenario, the evident neglect of Gaza’s civilian population is both agonizing and indefensible.
Moreover, Hamas has repeatedly indicated that it would not authorize the evacuation of the Gaza population, while the Israeli air force is constantly bombarding civilians under the indifferent gaze of the entire world. Doesn’t this seem like non-assistance to people in (great) danger on the part of both protagonists and the major powers?
