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Ordinary Gazans are bearing the brunt of the 8-month Israeli military onslaught on the territory and many blame the Palestinian armed faction for starting the war.
More Gazans have even been willing to speak out against Hamas, risking retribution.
In interviews with nearly a dozen Gaza residents in recent months, a number of them said they held Hamas responsible for starting the war and helping to bring death and destruction upon them, even as they blame Israel first and foremost.
One Gazan, Raed al-Kelani, 47, said Hamas always acts in its own interests.
“It started Oct. 7, and it wants to end it on its own terms,” said Mr. al-Kelani, who worked as a civil servant for the former Palestinian Authority government in Gaza, which was run by a rival faction to Hamas before Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007.
“But time is ticking with no potential hope of ending this,” he added. Mr. al-Kelani now makes meals and distributes food aid in shelters for displaced Gazans. “Hamas is still seeking its slice of power,” he said. “Hamas does not know how to get down from the tree it climbed.”
Is Hamas bad? Yes.
Is attacking Israel, killing festival goers, and kidnappings people bad? Absolutely.
Does anything that Hamas has done recently or since its inception justify genocide? That’s a resounding no.
Being against oppression, ethnic cleansing and genocide does not mean that one supports Hamas.
100%, yes. Unfortunately, these times breed anger and hate, whether that’s accusations of supporting Hamas towards people merely opposing Israel’s genocide or accusations of supporting said genocide levied at people just for being Jewish.
We need to put the blame squarely where it belongs - on both Hamas and the Netanyahu regime. The ordinary folks that just want to live in peace, whether Palestinian or Israeli, are not the problem.