In 2005, Israel pulled out of the Gaza strip. In 2006, the Palestinians elected Hamas to lead them. Since that time, Hamas has not allowed elections. According to Amnesty International, Hamas heavily restricts freedoms including the arbitrary detention and torturing of Palestinians.

In 2019, Hamas initiated a brutal crackdown on a peaceful protest against the rising cost of living in Gaza. The Independent Commission on Human Rights has received hundreds of complaints of torture in Gaza by Palestinian authorities. The only one truly occupying the Palestinians is Hamas. According to a 2014 study by NATO, Hamas has been building military infrastructure within civilian infrastructure and has been launching missiles against Israel from within civilian neighborhoods since 2008 with the intent of maximizing civilian deaths. The only logical protest should be the demand that Hamas surrender.

Palestinian liberation from Hamas is a first step towards a free Gaza. However, it is very unclear what the Palestinians will do with their freedom. According to the Arab World for Research and Development, 64% supported the Oct. 7 attack. A two-state solution is likely at least two generations away.

Mark McClain

Groton