Can there be such a thing as humanity in war?

On February 24, 2022, the world rose in uproar when Russia invaded Ukraine. The international community came together to provide support and aid... Efforts to raise funds and supplies for Ukraine on Social Media were prominent for weeks and months. While such efforts seem to have faded with time, the war hasn't. By early this year, the war displaced about 16 million Ukrainians, 8 million internally and 8 million having fled the country.

Photo by Bekky Bekks on Unsplash

United Nations reports that about 10,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed from the day Russia invaded the country to September 2023. And that number is growing every day. My intention was not to write about Ukraine, but the question that has occupied me since Israel began what seems to be merciless attacks on Gaza. Is there such a thing as humanity in war? 

As days became weeks, months and now over a year, the world somehow lost interest in Ukraine and its suffering... Humanity seems to have a short attention span when it comes to war. Perhaps, humanity fades in war. And, October 7, 2023, happened. Hamas attacked Israel, killed over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and took about 240 hostages. While the conflict in Gaza certainly was complex in history before October 7, I was perplexed by the voices that supported Hamas while blaming Israel. In particular, I was dumbfounded by those who criticized Israel for counter-attacking Hamas. What should've Israel done? Politely ask Hamas to never do that again and kindly return the hostages? 

It is monstrous that 15,000 Palestinians, including about 6,000 children, have been killed since October 7 according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. I wonder if this is what Hamas wanted when it attacked Israel, killed and took hostages.  It is difficult to believe that Hamas didn't expect such a ferocious reaction from the Israeli government. Then, isn't Hamas culpable in the deaths of Palestinians as it was willing to accept its people's death as collateral damage in their efforts to provoke Israel and perhaps for prisoner exchange? 

I don't think any of us can justify even one killing by Hamas when they attacked Israel. None of us can justify the killing of even one Palestinian by the Israeli military. Regardless of who provoked it or why Hamas attacked, lives lost can't be justified because there is no humanity in killing. 

War by design and intentions can't be fought with humanity. There is neither a great cause nor good that can ever justify killing another human. And, wars are designed to kill, hurt and damage by force and violence. 

I had hoped that the truce between Israel and Hamas would extend into another week, months and turn into years, but the attacks by the Israeli government seem to have become more ferocious and even more indiscriminate on civilians. Hamas provoked and Israel is violently seeking to change Gaza by removing Hamas. Perhaps, it is to secure and protect Israel and its people. Can we blame them for wanting to ensure what happened on October 7 isn't easily repeated? 

At the cost of more than 15,000 Palestinian deaths? That is inhumane. As long as Israel continues its attack on Gaza, there cannot be humanity. Rather than seeking impossible humanity in a war, we need to seek peace through the withdrawal of support and aid while imposing sanctions on Israel if necessary. Military and financial support and aid to the Israeli government must be stopped unless it ceases further advancement into Gaza, withdraws, and remains on their side of the border. Vigilance to secure and protect its soil and people should be supported, but not ferocious indiscriminate attacks on civilians even in a provoked counter-attack.

Bloomingdale's

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