“’Hamas is ISIS,’ declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…. ‘Just as the forces of civilization united to defeat ISIS, the forces of civilization must support Israel in defeating Hamas,’ Netanyahu said…. Hamas, which Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said on Tuesday ‘must be erased off the face of the planet.’… Israeli officials have vowed a merciless campaign of retribution against ‘human animals.’” “Washington Post: Hamas ISIS Islamic State Israel terrorism analogy”
That requires some unpacking. For starters: “ISIS literally views Hamas as apostates” Washington Post. But more importantly, even if Israel wanted to treat Hamas like it would treat ISIS, it would not be legally or morally justified in what it is now doing to Gaza and its largely Palestinian residents. Israel is starving and bombing them to death (no food, water, power) and as of noon Oct 25 4,385 have been killed by Israeli bombs, 62% of which are women and children and probably none are Hamas officials.
Efforts to defeat ISIS around the world were focused on the members of ISIS and not the people of the country they were operating in. “Israel-Hamas-war-Gaza-Palestine-ground invasion strategy” “UN chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday asserted that no party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law as he expressed deep alarm over the “relentless bombardment” of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip by Israeli forces and appealed to all to “pull back from the brink” before the violence escalates even further.” ‘No one above law UN chief on Gaza bombing”
On Oct 23, former President Obama issued a statement that included: “But even as we support Israel, we should also be clear that how Israel prosecutes this fight against Hamas matters. In particular, it matters — as President Biden has repeatedly emphasized — that Israel’s military strategy abides by international law, including those laws that seek to avoid, to every extent possible, the death or suffering of civilian populations…. Palestinians have also lived in disputed territories for generations; that many of them were not only displaced when Israel was formed but continue to be forcibly displaced by a settler movement that too often has received tacit or explicit support from the Israeli government; that Palestinian leaders who’ve been willing to make concessions for a two-state solution have too often had little to show for their efforts; and that it is possible for people of good will to champion Palestinian rights and oppose certain Israeli government policies in the West Bank and Gaza without being anti-semitic.” Barack Obama: My statement on Israel and Gaza”
In the following English language press conference on October 13, Hamas claims that its attack on Oct 7 was in reaction to 70 years of abusive Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and was defensive and aimed only at military targets. Their attack was not undertaken in a vacuum, and as excessive as I think it was, it would be wise to understand their claims. Strangely today is the first I heard about this press conference: Hamas press conference
If Israel displaces Hamas as the government of Gaza, what are its plans for future governance of the area (assuming that there is anyone left to govern)? Post columnist David Ignatius discusses this issue. “Israel Gazans Hamas war rebuilding” In the meantime we should demand that Israel end its slaughter of innocent Palestinians.
Warren's space 
For the record, this is the first clear thinking write up of probably many years. Congratulations. The US support to Israel is solid. Israel is important to the US international policy in the Middle East region and is a democratic country. Therefore, our support to Israel. However, HAMAS is not the same as Palestinian citizens. US does not have to support any military advance of Israel into Gaza. If there is a need for an inspection the UN peace keeping forces should be present as well. US and Europe mast help rebuild Gaza and the Palestinian institutions. For a lasting truce, Palestine should be recognized as a country once and forever -as Israel was recognized by the Arab world several decades ago. Let’s all remember that Golda Meyer was born in Palestine and has a Palestine passport until she grew up. US should not support any permanent expansion of Israel into Gaza.
Oh, so the Hamas massacre was only a bit “excessive”, you say?
Hay smarty-pants, can’t wait for your family to get a taste of Hamas’ excessiveness. No biggie.
A bit excessive? Why would you such a thing?
Israel has its many “sins” in its policies toward the Palestinians, including the “eating aeay” of West Bank land from legitimate Palestinian property owners. And making the meaning of a Palestinian state on the West Bank less and less possible.
And the massive bombing of Gaza reflects anger and revenge-desire after October 7th, with collective guilt at, seemingly, all the people of Gaza (no matter how the Israeli government officials express it in their public statements).
Having said this, the Palestinians could have had their own state in 1948, based on the UN partition plan of 1947. Instead, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon all invaded the newly declared Israeli state, to kill the Jewish “baby” in the cradle.
The end result was Israel had more territory than the partition plan was allocating it when the ceasefire lines were drawn in April 1949.
But the Palestinians, still, could have had their own state any time between 1949 and 1967, if Egypt would have given up administration of the Gaza Strip and if Jordan had not annexed the West Bank.
The Palestinians at least would have remained under Arab instead of Israeli rule if Egypt, Jordan and Syria had not attacked Israel in June 1967. Resulting in Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.
If the Palestinians have had their “catastrophe” since 1948, it is, for the most part, at their own hands and the Arab countries around Israel.
Thanks for further elaborating the tragic history of this area