The High Price of Terrorism

"The criminal enemy is driven by the spirit of revenge and murder and does not value any standards of laws."

"The enemy believes that by targeting the families of the leaders, it will push them to give up the demands of our people."

"Anyone who believes that targeting my sons will push Hamas to change its position is delusional."

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh 

An Israeli raid claimed the lives of three sons and three grandchildren of Hamas' political bureau leader, Ismail Haniyeh. (Photo: video grab)

 

Delusional, as in the incapacity to recognize reality, leading one to believe irrationally that one's criminal activity directed against a perceived enemy is totally within reason and represents an honourable action. That slaughtering innocent people represents a qualified success in persuading that enemy that they will never succeed in arguing it is better for all involved to live in peace by demonstrating that instead of peace enabling two different cultures, religions, ethnicities to abide one another's presence without resorting to conflict, it is far more effective to launch deadly attacks to deliver the message of absolute rejection.

Delusion is the attitude that surfaces of disbelief and fury leading to the sanctimonious censure of the 'enemy' that strikes back in a message that declares no one is untouchable who is involved in the murder of our citizens, particularly if they are themselves 'sensitive' subjects of familial concern, in the wake of a remorseless barbarism of savagery unleashed on helpless civilian children, women and the elderly. One that remains unresolved with the condition of hostages still held as bargaining chips unknown, although some are held to have been murdered while in captivity.

 

People gathered for vigils in Jerusalem and around the world to remember those killed or taken hostage on Oct. 7. CBC still from video

Three sons of Hamas leader Haniyeh, themselves part of the Hamas terrorist operation, given their father's leading role in the deaths of thousands of Israelis over the years were assassinated as just dues of the October 7 mass murder of Israelis, eliciting condemnation from Haniyeh at the 'criminal' actions of a nation's military tasked to protect and perserve the lives of their own population. Whereas Haniyeh is fond and proud of declaring at every opportunity how proud he is that Palestinians willingly offer their lives as 'martyrs' for the cause of destroying Israel.

 

What is unfortunate is that Palestinian terrorists never quite believe they will one day have their lives extinguished in attacks countering their own. Which leads to the death of innocents, both Israeli and Palestinian. Three of Haniyeh's grandchildren were killed in the Israeli strike that dispatched their fathers, Hazem, Ameer and Mohammed Haniyeh, when the vehicle they were all travelling in was struck by a drone within the Gaza Strip's al-Shati camp. Children anywhere deserve to live and to flourish and to become decent human beings.

"From a military point of view, Hamas is defeated. Its fighters are eliminated or in hiding [and its capabilities [crippled]."

"Fighting against Hamas will take time. Boys who are now in middle school will still fight in the 
Gaza Strip."

"Wherever there are terrorist targets, the Israel Defense Forces will be there."

Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz

Ismail Haniyeh said the car containing members of his family was targeted as they were visiting the Shati refugee camp for Eid. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images