According to an analysis by Anna Ahronheim, published in The Jerusalem Post on October 13, while the return of the hostages is a cause for immense celebration, the war with Hamas is not over. Ahronheim emphasizes that an ideology cannot be destroyed with bombs, highlighting the enduring nature of the conflict beyond military engagements. The article notes that the two years of war have profoundly changed Israel and the Middle East, bringing people together in a shared moment of healing as the hostages crossed back into Israeli territory.
The successful return of the hostages is attributed by some to the intervention of U.S. President Donald Trump and his team. However, the analysis also pays tribute to the nearly 1,000 IDF soldiers and security forces who made the ultimate sacrifice since October 7, 2023, giving their lives in the Gaza envelope communities, the Gaza Strip, and Lebanon. This immense cost of war underscores the deep gratitude felt by the nation, urging a pause in politicking to heal society and support the grieving families of the fallen.
Despite the joyous homecoming, a harsh reality persists: Hamas remains active in the Gaza Strip, armed and reportedly hunting down any Gazans suspected of aiding IDF troops during the war. The core issue, as argued, is that Hamas is more than just a governing power; it is an ideology deeply ingrained within a segment of the population. Drawing parallels with wars against other terror groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, the analysis posits that ideologies are resilient and will always find fertile ground to grow, especially in the aftermath of devastating conflict.
The war in Gaza, therefore, is unlikely to end with Trump’s plan. Instead, it risks creating generations of radicalized youth. While Israel’s war is framed as justified, involving precision airstrikes against a terror group embedded in civilian areas, every airstrike, civilian death, and destroyed neighborhood contributes to a cycle of resentment, grief, and a desire for revenge. These emotions, deeply embedded in the psyche of children growing up amidst rubble and loss, are not fleeting.
Military pressure alone is deemed insufficient to dismantle this ecosystem of hate. Terror groups thrive not just on weapons but on narratives, grievances, and the absence of alternatives. Even if leadership is decapitated or infrastructure destroyed, the ideas propagated by Hamas persist in mosques, schools, and homes, passed down through generations. When suffering is widespread, the narrative of victimhood and resistance becomes more compelling, fueling recruitment and indoctrination.
History demonstrates that terror groups adapt, splinter, and evolve, thriving in chaos. The destruction of infrastructure and the collapse of civil society in Gaza create an incubator for militant ideologies. Without a genuine political solution that offers hope and a future, young people may continue to turn to Hamas, not necessarily as born extremists, but because extremism offers a sense of purpose. This war, the analysis concludes, will likely ensure Hamas’s survival and potential expansion, as the next generation of fighters is shaped by trauma rather than training camps. Addressing the root causes, rather than relying solely on military force, is presented as the critical path forward.
Photo: Gemini AI