After Hamas' horrific Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of 1,200 Jews and the seizure of 250 Jewish hostages, the headlines cried out in shock, anger and astonishment. The New York Times wrote, "As world leaders condemned the attacks -- and questions arose about how Israeli intelligence had been so surprised -- ordinary citizens tried to make sense of what was happening."

On Oct. 7, 2023, New York Times columnist Bret Stephens wrote: "Thanks to defensive systems like Iron Dome, Hamas's punches, while frequent and menacing, rarely landed. For Israelis, Gaza seemed relatively contained. That was, until this weekend. Whatever happens next in the current war, this concept (to borrow another term from the Yom Kippur War era, related to Israel's confidence that it wouldn't be attacked) has clearly failed. Israel has a clear interest not just in punishing Hamas but also in ending its rule for good."

For much of the world, this was the reaction -- at least at first: Hamas must go -- and must go by force given its refusal to live in peace next to Israel. But soon Israel stood accused of "genocide" because of the unavoidable deaths of civilian noncombatants in Gaza. Hamas "fights" by putting military installations in, beneath or around hospitals, schools and mosques to guarantee the killing of........

© Townhall