By Rohan Gunaratna
To the outside world, Hamas presents itself as a resistance movement fighting against a powerful and oppressive enemy. However, the reality is far more sinister. While injustices exist on both sides, including Israeli military actions that are scrutinized and debated internally, Hamas is the true enemy of peace—both for Israel and, more importantly, for the Palestinian people. Accepting Hamas as a legitimate entity does not pave the way for peace; rather, it signals to other terrorist organizations and rogue state actors that violence, terrorism, and the brutal targeting of civilians are permissible tools for achieving political aims.
Hamas has never pursued a future for Palestine that involves coexisting with Israel. Its charter explicitly calls for the destruction of Israel rather than working toward a viable Palestinian state. By focusing solely on conflict, Hamas has continually undermined diplomatic efforts and peace processes that could have led to a stable two-state solution. Every opportunity for negotiation has been derailed by its commitment to perpetual war, ensuring that the Palestinian people remain in a cycle of suffering with no real prospects for sovereignty.
Humanitarian aid meant for Palestinian civilians is routinely diverted by Hamas for military purposes. Funds meant to build schools, hospitals, and infrastructure are funneled into the production of rockets and underground tunnel networks used exclusively for combat. Instead of using tunnels to shelter civilians from airstrikes, Hamas uses them to transport weapons and fighters, intentionally maximizing Palestinian casualties to fuel propaganda efforts. By prioritizing war over welfare, Hamas perpetuates the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ensures that suffering remains a political tool.
Hamas has institutionalized a culture of violence within Palestinian society, glorifying terrorism and indoctrinating children into the ideology of armed resistance. From school curriculums to summer camps, young Palestinians are exposed to messaging that normalizes violence and martyrdom. Rather than fostering education, economic growth, and diplomatic engagement, Hamas ensures that generations of Palestinians grow up seeing terrorism as the only viable path forward.
Hamas’s attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, including the kidnapping of over 250 hostages, were not acts of war but acts of terror. Hostage-taking is a tactic designed to extract political concessions and instill fear, a hallmark of terrorist organizations. If the world legitimizes Hamas despite these actions, it sends a clear message that terror groups can engage in mass murder, rape, and abduction without facing full accountability. This not only emboldens Hamas but encourages other groups to replicate their strategy.
While Israel has faced international scrutiny for its military operations, Hamas has faced almost none for its governance failures. Gaza has been under Hamas rule since 2007, and in that time, it has failed to provide basic services, economic stability, or security for its people. Corruption and mismanagement have left Gaza’s residents trapped in poverty and chaos, yet Hamas continues to blame external actors rather than taking responsibility for its own governance failures.
Hamas has a long history of exploiting ceasefires as tactical pauses rather than steps toward peace. I repeated this in my previous post titled “Hamas is the real enemy of the Palestinian people” and I repeat it again – in 2008, 2012, and 2014, Hamas violated ceasefire agreements by rearming and launching renewed attacks. Rather than using truces as opportunities for diplomacy, Hamas treats them as temporary lulls in conflict, only to escalate violence once they have regained strength. Accepting Hamas without dismantling its militant capabilities ensures that this cycle continues indefinitely.
Despite claiming to represent the Palestinian people, Hamas has not held elections since 2006 and violently suppresses any opposition within Gaza. It does not allow dissent, free press, or political alternatives, ensuring that Palestinians have no voice in their own governance. The world must ask: if Hamas truly cared about Palestinian liberation, why does it refuse to let the Palestinian people choose their own leaders?
Legitimizing Hamas sends a dangerous message beyond Gaza. Other extremist groups, including Hezbollah and Ansarullah, will view Hamas’s survival as proof that terrorism is a viable strategy. Rogue states like Iran will continue funding and arming these groups, further destabilizing the region. If Hamas is allowed to persist, it not only ensures continued violence in the Middle East but also emboldens terror networks worldwide, threatening global security.
Accepting Hamas is not an option. To truly achieve peace, Hamas must be dismantled, hostages must be freed, and Palestinian governance must be handed back to leaders committed to diplomacy, stability, and the well-being of their people. The international community must not send mixed signals by tolerating Hamas’s existence—doing so emboldens other terrorist organizations and rogue actors to believe that violence and terror can be rewarded. The world must work toward a solution that ensures both Israeli security and Palestinian prosperity. Peace will only come when terrorism is unequivocally rejected, and legitimate Palestinian aspirations are pursued through diplomatic and political means rather than violence and destruction. To defend Hamas is to defend the murder and rape of civilians, the perpetuation of violence, and the continued suffering of innocent lives.
Rohan Gunaratna is the Author of The Handbook of Terrorism in the Middle East published by World Scientific Publishing