OPINION | WHO IS SILENT OVER HAMAS’ ATROCITIES? AND WHY?

The Israel-Hamas conflict continues to escalate with Israel pounding large parts of Gaza, and lakhs of people suffering due to lack of water, electricity, healthcare and basic amenities. US President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Israel and Jordan on Wednesday. He will engage with both Israeli and Arab leaders to de-escalate the situation. Biden will meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Jordan King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. A statement from the White House said Biden will reiterate that Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination and that Biden will discuss the humanitarian needs of the civilians trapped inside Gaza. The present conflict threatens to blow up into a big regional crisis with the Iranian Foreign Minister issuing a warning about the possibility of Iran and its allies taking what he called “pre-emptive action” in response to Israel’s continued attacks on Gaza. Egypt is unwilling to open its border to allow Palestinians to cross over from Gaza, but the US Secretary of State was optimistic that the Rafah border crossing will be reopened soon to allow people to cross over from Gaza to Egypt. Israeli says, this could help Hamas terrorists in fleeing Gaza and the main aim of the entire operation to eliminate Hamas will be defeated. The US, European Union and India stand with Israel, but Iran, Syria, Turkiye, Lebanon, Russia and China are supporting Hamas in the name of Palestinians. Israel has already circulated more videos of how Hamas terrorists carried out bestial attacks on innocent Israeli women and children, how they shot children point-blank after entering their homes and burnt many of them alive. The question now is: Why should the people of Gaza suffer for the brutalities committed by Hamas? How will Israel extract its revenge against Hamas? Netanyahu has already said that attacks will not cease till victory is achieved. Already more than 10,000 Israeli soldiers, experts in urban warfare, are on standby to enter Gaza and fight Hamas. These soldiers have been ordered to kill Hamas leaders after occupying Gaza City. More than 300 tanks and artillery guns have taken up position on the Gaza border. Already, six top Hamas leaders have been killed in action. Israeli military officials told India TV correspondent Amit Palit that the Gaza operation this time will be bigger compared to the operation that was conducted in 2006. When Hamas terrorists forcibly entered Israeli settlements on that black Saturday, they not only carried weapons but had cameras fitted on their bodies to videograph the gory details. The aim was not only to carry out murder and mayhem. The aim was not only to deal a crushing blow to Israel. The aim was to show to the world how Israeli pride can be shattered by committing bestialities. Israel is now using those videos and asking Islamic countries why they are silent over cruelties committed by Hamas. Israel is demanding why Islamic countries are not denouncing inhuman action committed by Hamas. Had these videos not been available, there are people around the world who could have blamed Israel for killing its own people and blaming Hamas, in order to gain an alibi to attack Gaza. This time there are solid and concrete evidence that establish that Hamas terrorists killed innocent people in a brutal manner, kidnapped people and is now using them as human shield. Those supporting Palestine are deliberately ignoring such proof. There have been protests by pro-Palestine Muslims in several world capitals in order to exert pressure on Israel to avoid a major ground assault on Gaza. Israel is firm on its stand. It wants to eliminate Hamas completely, come what may. There are Muslim leaders in India who are openly supporting Hamas, along with their traditional backing for the Palestinian cause. On Monday, there were protests in Delhi and Mumbai. Left activists staged a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar along with JNU and Jamia Millia students. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and other Muslim maulanas are openly espousing the cause of Palestine but ignoring the inhumanities committed by Hamas terrorists. They should take note of the fact that even Saudi Arabia and the UAE have not allowed any protests in their countries in support of Hamas. But, in India, several Muslim leaders and Leftists are silent on Hamas atrocities and are only trying to highlight Israeli attacks on Gaza.