Ceasefire or quagmire: The dilemma of ending the war in Gaza

The ongoing truce has put a pause on the relentless destruction of life and property in Gaza thus allowing for the exchange of hostages and prisoners between Israel and Palestine.

While a momentary calm prevails, the looming question remains — unless this war concludes decisively, a return to conflict seems inevitable.

In view of history, the war in Gaza is not peculiar. Critics branding Israel’s actions as ‘indiscriminate’ and ‘genocidal’ should revisit history to understand what those words truly mean.

The Siege of Leningrad serves as a poignant example, highlighting our abuse of loaded words for propaganda purposes. For 900 days, the Germans put Leningrad and its 3 million people under a total siege subjecting it to continuous bombardment.

The cruelty and human cost were staggering – people resorted to eating their pets and cannibalism to survive. One million of them perished.

Warfare is a harsh reality and should be avoided at all costs. Yet, it is an undeniable human experience: nations don’t spend billions of dollars in military expenditure every year for nothing.

It is, therefore, extremely naïve for people to expect Israelis to hand out candies in Gaza. They equipped themselves to destroy their foes.

When they issue warnings to minimise civilian casualties, thus removing an element of surprise, that is the best you can get given the realities of war.

Palestine finds itself at war because all other avenues for peace have failed.

War, as a last resort, can paradoxically serve as a powerful instrument for peace, akin to surgical amputations saving lives.

The only thing worse than starting a war is to end one inconclusively, thus perpetuating a cycle of pain and destruction, as seen in various global conflicts.

This happened in Korea and, 70 years on, North Korea remains a global menace.

In Afghanistan, the Americans failed to do their duty having started the war. Today, the Taliban are back – and the nonsense that caused the war in Afghanistan in the first place continues.

In Kashmir, while tourists are entertained by the extravagant displays of bravado by the soldiers of Pakistan and India, that sore spot can ignite another war at any moment.

In Somalia, three decades on, instability still plagues the nation. In DRC, you have over 100 groups fighting, thanks to the inconclusive end of the Great African War. Indecisive wars often cost more than the wars themselves.

Effective wars, instead, can yield peace dividends. The total defeat of Japan and Germany brought post-World War 2 peace. Vietnam’s success followed the defeat of foreign powers.

The Yom Kippur War led to lasting peace between Israel and Egypt. In 2019, Egypt entertained 700,000 tourists from Israel. These wars brought sanity.

As we consider the endgame for the war in Gaza, it is also important to review our presumptions. Many people consider that the only appropriate way for the Palestinian conflict to end is with Israel’s defeat. Such naiveté can extend pain for Palestinians needlessly.

History shows that there are worse things than minority rule. In China, for example, communists overthrew the government and installed themselves as rulers as the legitimate government fled to Taiwan. China has moved from strength to strength afterwards.

In Rwanda, the minority Tutsi-dominated RPF took control of the nation after ending the 1994 genocide. Rwanda has made significant progress afterwards. In the 1920s, the House of Saud took over the Arabian Peninsula and installed themselves as rulers.

Much progress has been made afterwards despite the absence of majority representation in government.

Again, there are worse things than the minority rule. We need to be very sober – are we ready to see a continuous bloodbath in Palestine in pursuit of an ideal? Is it possible that the 33 percent of Palestinians that wish to be under Israel’s governance have a point?

Whichever way we go, I think the war in Gaza should end the Hamas menace there. Hamas chose this war with full knowledge that they stood no chance of winning it.

People claim that they are desperate –but Palestinians enjoy a per capita GDP that closely matches those of Africa’s well-to-do nations of Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia.

This was a war of convenience – billions in the world have it worse than Palestinians. The reckless nature with which Hamas went into this war shows that they are unfit to govern.

I think Israel should do its duty in Gaza by getting rid of Hamas for everyone involved.

This is not an isolated view. Many Arab states share this view. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have more or less said that.

Thanks to Hamas’s subscription to the Muslim Brotherhood’s political ideology, which many Arab states consider a threat, they will not mind seeing Hamas go. Only Iran and Qatar have stuck by Hamas’s side for geopolitical reasons.

It is my opinion that despite the high cost, ending the Gaza war prematurely would be a mistake. Achieving strategic goals will render Hamas powerless, potentially fostering a more rational and strategic Palestinian stance for a better future.