Ceasefire viewed differently by Hamas (Published in New London Day)

This was published in the New London Day on March 11. We follow it by the original version submitted.

The self-immolation of Aaron Bushnell was a tragedy, because that misguided individual never received the professional help he clearly needed. In his letter William Keating, "Death of serviceman Aaron Bushnell," compounds the tragedy by using it to promote a ceasefire in Gaza, likely viewing one, like many Americans, as a step toward peace. Hamas views ceasefires differently.

During the ceasefire Hamas broke Oct. 7, Israel, sharing those American values, did its best to help the people in Gaza, under the mistaken impression Gazans would realize they would benefit more from peace than from continuing their genocidal struggle against Israelis and Jews around the world. Hamas used that ceasefire to expand its weapons arsenal, including tens of thousands of rockets and construct an extensive network of terror tunnels, strategically placed in civilian areas, particularly beneath hospitals and UNRWA facilities. The consequence was the Oct. 7 massacre and the current death and destruction in Gaza. The massacre taught Israelis a bitter lesson: Hamas cannot be enticed to join the civilized world. It must be eliminated. Pushing for a ceasefire may feel virtuous, but another premature ceasefire will bring more massacres and more death, destruction and misery in Gaza.

Alan Stein Natick, Mass.

Editor's note: The writer, formerly a longtime resident of Connecticut, is president emeritus of PRIMER-Connecticut (Promoting Responsibility in Middle East Reporting)

Original version submitted to the New London Day, with the proposed title "The tragic suicide of Aaron Bushnell":

The self-immolation of Aaron Bushnell was a tragedy, because that sick, misguided individual never received the professional help he clearly needed.

In his letter William Keating compounds the tragedy by using it to promote a ceasefire in Gaza. Most charitably, perhaps like most of us fortunate enough to steeped in American values, he cannot understand the values of terror groups like Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Fatah, ISIS, the Houthis and Boko Haram are incompatible with our values and their conception of a ceasefire is virtually the opposite of ours.

For us, a ceasefire is a cessation of hostilities intended to lead to peace.

For terror groups like Hamas, a ceasefire is an opportunity to rearm, strengthen itself, and prepare to perpetrate even more barbaric atrocities. Such was the case with the ceasefire in effect on the morning of the October 7 Massacre.

Israel, with its Western values, did its best to help the people in Gaza, under the misimpression Gazans would realize they would benefit more from peace than from continuing their genocidal struggle against Israelis and Jews around the world.

Hamas, in sharp contrast, with the help of Iran and Qatar, took advantage of the ceasefire to increase its weapons arsenal, including tens of thousands of rockets, build its incredibly extensive network of terror tunnels, strategically placed in civilian areas, particularly beneath hospitals and UNRWA facilities.

The consequence: the October 7 Massacre and the war now continuing in Gaza and bringing death and destruction there.

Israelis have learned their lesson, the hard way: Hamas cannot be enticed to join the civilized world. It must be effectively eliminated.

Pushing for a ceasefire may feel virtuous, but it is effectively promoting more October 7ths and  more death and destruction and misery in Gaza.

Sincerely,

Alan Stein, Ph.D.

Natick, Massachusetts and Netanya, Israel