According to Bible enthusiasts the evangelist Luke was alleged to proclaim “on earth peace, good will toward men.” Unfortunately, since the time of that annunciation until now, humanity has failed to achieve such a status.
Over the years of writing this column I have carefully avoided topics about politicians and politics. There is a plethora of columnists who are more expert and I gladly leave such topics to them.
The topic of concern for this column is the Israel-Hamas conflict that has made headlines over the last three months. Primarily, what should be of concern to all of us is for the thousands of innocent civilians and armed combatants who have been killed or maimed on both sides of the conflict to date. A very large percentage of those killed have been women and children and people who are elderly and others contending with mobility issues.
What now appears to be one of the first acts of war was the unmitigated surprise attack by Hamas terrorist forces against Israel. That invasive attack appears to have caught Israel off guard and they report that somewhere on the order of 1200 people were ruthlessly slaughtered. Further to that killing spree some 200 hostages were taken back to Gaza. Presumably these hostages were to be used as trading pieces by the terrorists to advance their goal, which some claim is to wipe out the Jewish state.
Ninety percent of people have been displaced from their homes in Gaza and those survivors are living in intolerable conditions on the southern tip of that country. An incalculable number are without food, water, protection from the elements, medical care, and many are suffering from the scars of war.
These horrors of war can be seen as lead stories regularly on the nightly news. Watch these gruesome reports at your own risk of losing contented sleep.
Watch these gruesome reports at your own risk of losing contented sleep.
It has been claimed by officials in Gaza that so far some 23,000 of their people have been killed in this terrible, three-month war. The bombardments on both sides continue daily and nightly without pause.
War has often been described as hell. To demonstrate one of the atrocities of this war, the Israel armed forces claim that Hamas warriors embed themselves among Gaza citizenry and store arms and ammunition in hospitals and schools. Consequently, attempts to kill those embedded Hamas fighters result in high numbers of civilian casualties
In a recent development, a delegation to the International Court of Justice from South Africa accused Israel of the act of genocide. That is a serious allegation defined as acts committed with the intent to destroy in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. Israel has adamantly denied the allegation. Likely, the truth of that matter will be the subject of the World Courts at some future date.
The leaders of many countries have very cautiously suggested that hostilities should cease and a truce be drawn that would end this atrocity. Additionally, countries that support the warring factions with funds and armaments appear to be less and less inclined to continue to do so. Hopefully, that trend will hasten the ending of this horrible conflict and render good tidings of great joy and promote a modicum of peace on earth and good will toward men.
