Lede
When militants and ministers choose escalation, the bill lands on civilians.
The rulers
Hamas built politics on rockets and hostages. Israel’s government answered with siege and starvation charges, plus a settlement spree off to the side. Each insists history is on their side; neither is standing where the law is. The vocabulary changes. The graves do not.
The people
Gaza’s families live between airstrikes, famine reports, and tents that rip in coastal wind. Israeli families watch hostage calendars turn, birthdays missed, chairs kept empty at Shabbat. Both populations are held hostage: one by a militia that calls death strategy; the other by leaders who confuse punishment with security.
The numbers
- ICC arrest warrants were issued in November 2024 for Netanyahu and Gallant (and for Hamas leadership); judges rejected Israel’s bid to withdraw the warrants on 16 July 2025. Active, not hypothetical.
- Hostages: plans on the table in late Sept–Oct 2025 speak of 48 remaining, roughly ~20 believed alive, tied to a ceasefire swap. Families still wait.
- Civilian toll: UN OCHA’s late-Sept updates keep adding hundreds of Gazan dead per week; cumulative deaths are in the tens of thousands with mass displacement.
- Hamas crimes: rights groups document Hamas’ war crimes on 7 Oct and repression of opponents. Law isn’t a football scarf.
- Settlements: 2024 saw tens of thousands of housing units advanced and 59 new outposts flagged by monitors — annexation by paperwork.
Winners and losers
- Winners: hardliners, arms dealers, professional pundits.
- Losers: parents, doctors, teachers, kids.
Follow the power
- Hostages and prisoners turned into bargaining chips.
- Humanitarian access throttled, then quoted in speeches.
- Settlements expanded while “two-state” is recited like a lullaby.
The sketch
- Scene one: Hamas podium: “Dignity.” Behind it, a map with civilian zones as targets.
- Scene two: Government podium: “Security.” Behind it, a wall chart labelled “Warrants: active; Aid: delayed.”
- Scene three: Two kitchens, two fridges, two families. The same empty chair.
Remedies that would count
- Ceasefire with written timelines: hostages out, aid in, prisoners exchanged, verified by third parties.
- Humanitarian corridors and protection of clinics under ICJ orders, measured in trucks per day, not adjectives.
- Moratorium on settlement expansion and outpost legalisation; freeze tenders; publish a rollback plan.
- Gaza governance plan that excludes Hamas and includes independent civil society, not just security men.
- A joint memorial day for children lost. Start there. Build policy after.
The Hermit take
Two truths can live. Two peoples must. Law first. Lists of names before lists of talking points.
Keep or toss
Toss the absolutism. Keep the children alive.
Sources
- ICC warrants issued (Nov 2024) and judges reject withdrawal (16 Jul 2025).
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/icc-issues-arrest-warrants-israels-netanyahu-gallant-hamas-leader-2024-11-21/
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/icc-judges-reject-israels-request-withdraw-netanyahu-arrest-warrant-2025-07-16/ - Gaza humanitarian situation updates (late Sept–Oct 2025).
Source: https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/humanitarian-situation-update-327-gaza-strip
Source: https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/humanitarian-situation-update-326-gaza-strip - Hostages remaining and swap parameters (late Sept–Oct 2025).
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-peace-plan-gaza-proposes-end-war-return-hostages-2025-09-29/
Source: https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-hostages-d37b0d5bb5ce4340f3a8a48533948da0 - Rights documentation: Hamas war crimes; mass civilian harm in Gaza.
Source: https://www.hrw.org/the-day-in-human-rights/2025/02/27
Source: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/01/16/israel/palestine-abyss-human-suffering-gaza - Settlement expansion data (2024).
Source: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2025/documents/Report%20on%20Israeli%20Settlements%20in%20the%20occupied%20West%20Bank%20including%20East%20Jerusalem%20%28Reporting%20period%20January%20-%20December%202024%29.pdf
Source: https://peacenow.org.il/en/the-year-of-annexation-and-expulsion-summary-of-settlement-activity-in-2024-2
Satire and commentary. Opinion pieces for discussion. Sources at the end. Not legal, medical, financial, or professional advice.