Without holding Israel accountable, Palestinians will have died in vain

One wonders whether these demands, almost five months into a brutal war, align with Hamas's initial war objectives on 7 October when it launched its attack on Israel.

Its demands now seem aimed at restoring the situation to how it was before 7 October and exchanging Israeli and Palestinian prisoners.

But has Hamas achieved anything beyond its initial aims?

While Hamas succeeded in shattering the myth of Israeli invincibility, it is Palestinian civilians who have borne the brunt of Israel's brutality.

Taking responsibility

The Israeli military machine has relentlessly killed, starved, and displaced more than two million people, the vast majority of civilians, and continues to do so.

Perhaps we should not be surprised. After all, wasn't the State of Israel founded on violence, criminality, and displacement?

Surely, Hamas understood the depravity of its enemy.

Some think Hamas misjudged its actions on 7 October or that it placed too much faith in the subsequent support and intervention of "resistance" groups in the region, such as Hezbollah. Leaked documents suggest this to be the case.

But let's not sugarcoat reality: Israel undoubtedly bears responsibility for the bloodshed in Gaza and beyond.

Having said that, the Palestinians will need to judge for themselves whether Hamas should be held accountable —both politically and morally — for its miscalculation.

Looking ahead

The Palestinian struggle is one of national liberation led by the Palestinian people, not the mass slaughter of the Palestinian people.

After the fighting ends, we need a Palestinian-Palestinian roadmap. Internal divisions have gone on for too long.

All Palestinian factions should coalesce under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority.

Hamas must realise by now that Iran and its militias offer nothing towards the liberation of Palestine. 

First of all, Iran did not rescue them when they needed it the most. Second, the Iranian agenda does not align with the aspirations of the Palestinian people.

It's time to stop regional players from exploiting and manipulating the Palestinian cause for their personal agenda or gain.

As for Israel, the international community must hold it accountable for the war crimes it committed and continues to commit.

Read more: One UN envoy's quest to hold Israel accountable under international law

The world's reluctance to do so has emboldened Israel to take its brutality to new depths of depravity. 

Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice is preparing to issue its non-binding ruling. But this will take several months. By then, how many will have died?

Delaying action in Gaza until 15 judges come to a decision is a wholesale moral failure.

Everyone has a moral obligation not only to condemn Israel for its crimes but to pull whatever diplomatic, political, and economic levers are available to let Israel know that its brutality has consequences.

Alas, despite Israel's national army having repeatedly breached international law and the principles of justice and fairness that guide states' conduct, very few will do so.

In many ways, we are back to Square One, and the Palestinians killed will have died in vain.