This photo taken on Oct. 8, 2023 shows Israeli soldiers at the southern Israeli town of Ofakim. Photo: Xinhua

Hamas' recent attacks on Israel have targeted civilians in many places, and they have also taken many Israeli civilians as hostages. Such actions cannot be supported by the international community, and currently, only Iran openly congratulates Hamas on its surprise attack. 

Hamas, despite the impending "catastrophic" level of retaliation, has launched "collective suicide attacks" against Israel. Israel must seriously reflect on this. The Palestinians are not demanding an exorbitant price. They seek the implementation of UN resolutions and the internationally supported "two-state solution" to establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital in parallel with Israel. The whole world calls for Israel to return to the 1967 borders, and the Palestinian demands do not exceed UN resolutions and international consensus. Israel is seen as the disruptor of these resolutions and consensus. What Israel is doing is bullying, using force to forcibly change the status quo and create new circumstances. 

Israel is undoubtedly technologically advanced and militarily powerful. It defeated Arab nations in several Middle East wars and even reconciled with some of its former Arab adversaries. However, force can't create a moral turnaround. Just as Israel had a strong desire for statehood in the past, the Palestinian people now have a strong desire to establish their own state, which is supported by the UN and international community. Palestinians are not an unreasonable and barbaric group, as some may portray them to be.

Israel can militarily defeat Hamas, but it cannot eliminate worship in mosques and the observance of Ramadan by Muslims, nor can it change the faith of the Palestinian people, which includes reverence for the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. If Israel opposes the two-state solution proposed by the UN, it would have to go against the tide of history, confront the entire Islamic civilization, challenge human justice and defy the passage of time.

Israel possesses not only military strength but also top-notch intelligence capabilities, with robust support from the US intelligence system. However, this time it was suddenly assaulted by the disorganized and undisciplined Hamas, which dealt a significant blow. Even tigers need to rest; it's certain that if Israel continues its repressive approach toward Palestinians without addressing their legitimate concerns, it will inevitably suffer such setbacks from time to time. Expecting desperate Palestinians, many of whom have grown up in refugee camps and face a lack of dignity and uncertain livelihoods, to resist in accordance with international rules is not feasible. How could it ever become a sustainable state for them to accept the inequality Israel has imposed on them in a way that aligns with the interests of Israel?

If Israel simply treats Hamas as a "terrorist group" and conducts its retaliation as a "counterterrorism operation," it will ultimately fail and only perpetuate a vicious cycle. The world does not support the specific actions of Hamas, but it will continue to sympathize with the Palestinian people, whose aspirations for statehood are just. Israel certainly has the capability to assert its strength, but aligning with the broader historical trend would be a wiser choice for any nation.

The author is a Chinese media professional. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn