Why Israel Must Fight

The daily media coverage of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East makes it seem as though Israel is perpetually “escalating” — carrying on a ceaseless assault on Gaza, bombing Lebanon, and threatening Iran. It is Israel that is portrayed as the primary destabilizing force in the region, in need of restraining.

But the anniversary of October 7 is an important reminder of why Israel fights.

One year ago today, under the cover of rocket fire, thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel to commit unspeakable horrors — slaughtering babies, raping women, burning homes, and kidnapping civilians. It’s hard to find a parallel to the evil depicted in videos and images recorded on that day. It’s as if the Nazis and their victims all carried cameras in their pockets. In the assault, 1,200 people were massacred and 251 were taken hostage (roughly 100, both alive and dead, remain in captivity).