Hamas’ execution of six Israeli hostages in a tunnel underneath Gaza was a tragedy. It was also a reminder, if one was needed, of the mentality of those guarding them – the cold-blooded execution of the hostages is further evidence of the disregard for human life that groups such as Hamas have shown time and time again.

For all the justifiable criticism of the Israeli approach to civilian harm minimisation in Gaza, one should never lose sight of the fact that the mentality that led Hamas to kill six hostages in cold blood is the same one that allowed it to believe that shooting innocent concert-goers, or throwing grenades into bomb shelters housing young people in the prime of their lives, could somehow be justified in the name of Palestinian sovereignty. Those advocating support for Hamas would do well to reflect on this.

People take part in a protest calling for a deal for immediate release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, in Tel Aviv.Credit: AP

Israel had no choice but to take revenge against Hamas and to degrade it to the point where it was no longer capable of threatening Israel in the way that it did on October 7. The government also had a moral obligation to recover alive as many of those taken hostage as was humanly possible. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised he would achieve both........

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