The recent happenings between the Hamas militant group and Israel can be likened to a young man who chanced upon a beehive hanging on a tree.

Then this man poked the beehive with a stick and as expected, a swarm of bees rushed on him, inflicting him with numerous painful stings.

He ran towards his house, waving his hands hysterically. Guess what, the bees followed him into his household inflicting others with their stinging spree.

Now his household complained about what the bees had done to anyone who cared to hear, failing to hold to account the man who poked the beehive with a stick.

Last week Saturday, the Hamas launched a surprise multipronged attack on Israel, killing people and taking some as captives. Though Israel was taken aback by the attack, it rose up to the challenge and has since mounted intense retaliatory strikes on Hamas at the Gaza strip, leaving many people dead and others injured.

Hamas said that its surprise, large-scale military operation is in response to the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased Israeli settler violence against Palestinians.

Israel has imposed a land, air and sea blockade on Gaza since 2007, which prevents people and goods from freely entering or leaving the territory and has devastated Gaza’s economy.

Israel has also been carrying out random air raids on militant targets in Gaza which also affects civilians.

Despite these, most countries have not condemned Israel’s actions because Hamas attacked Israel first.

Simply put, the war was forced on Israel.

Shortly after Hamas’ attack, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu declared, “We are at war. Not an ‘operation,’ not a ‘round,’ but at war.”

It was a vow of the full blown revenge that Israel was to dish out to Hamas and consequently the Gaza Strip.

Unfortunately, innocent civilians have been embroiled in this war. Now Gaza is under complete blockade and about 1900 Palestinians have been killed.

The IDF disclosed on Friday, “Our aim is to take all of Hamas’s military abilities and strip them away. At the end of this war, Our intention is that Hamas will no longer have any ability to strike or harm or kill Israeli civilians.”

Even though Israel’s evacuation order has been condemned by many, it shows in some sense that Israel is not after the blood of innocent civilians

In a statement sent to civilians in Gaza City, the Israeli military said, “This evacuation is for your own safety.”

“Hamas terrorists are hiding in Gaza City inside tunnels underneath houses and inside buildings populated with innocent Gazan civilians.”

“Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families and distance yourself from Hamas terrorists who are using you as human shields.”
Israel Defence Forces

Israeli military Spokesman, Jonathan Conricus said “Out of an understanding that there are civilians here who are not our enemy and we do not want to target them, we are asking them to evacuate so that we will be able to continue to strike military targets belonging to Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”

To wit, one cannot strike the beehive without getting himself at package of painful stings.

Until the beehive(Israel) was struck, the bees(Israel Defence Forces) were minding their business.

Gaza On The Brink Of Collapse

Following Israel’s evacuation orders, Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned Israel against any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians.

Referring to the mass displacement of Palestinians in the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas said that such an event would constitute a “second Nakba.”

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced out of their homes in the 1948 war when militias and then the army of the newly formed Israel destroyed more than 500 Palestinian villages and towns. Thousands were killed.

Palestinians refer to that period as the Nakba, or catastrophe.

Those displaced in 1948 have never managed to return. So now, it is possible that those evacuating to the south under Israel’s orders may not make a return trip, that is, if there is anyone left to return in the first place.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory is the only guarantee for “security, stability and peace” in the region.

That prospect seems as far away as ever amid expanding Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.