A return to war

Nobody wanted this. Nobody wanted a return to war. War isn’t abstract, it takes a very human toll. This war, the longest and most brutal in Israel’s history that many of us call the second War of Independence has and continues to take a massive toll on us. It’s a war born in the brutality and savagery of the attacks of 7 October 2023, and we’re still deep in trauma and shock.

There isn’t a family untouched by that day. Though we’re resolute that Hamas must be destroyed, that for the sake of a better future for Israelis and Palestinians, it cannot continue to rule the Gaza Strip, we remain gravely concerned about the 59 hostages.

They aren’t faces on posters, they are sons and brothers, fathers and lovers, colleagues and friends. We know Omri Miran is a father of two little girls; Alon Ohel is a concert pianist; Bipin Joshi is a Nepalese agricultural student. Brothers Ariel and David Cunio are best friends with Yarden Bibas. Twins Ziv and Gali Berman are friends of Emily Damari. We know all their faces and stories. Hamas still holds on to the remains of loved ones, who deserve a dignified burial. They have Hadar Goldin, who fell in battle in 2014. They have Yossi Sharabi, whose remarkable brother, Eli, was released, emaciated but focused on bringing the remaining hostages home. Eli’s wife and daughters were murdered on 7 October. Daniel Perez and his tank crew brothers, who fought valiantly defending Nahal Oz. Hamas also still holds the remains of three women.

Contrary to headlines in legacy media like “Israel shatters the ceasefire”, there was no ceasefire in place when Israel launched its surprise attack on Hamas targets. Phase one had concluded, and mediators were locked in “no man’s land”, a murky grey area where multiple parties tried to get Hamas to agree to the bridging agreement of United States Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. Hamas refused all proposals and the decision taken by Israel was to apply as much military pressure as possible to force Hamas to release the hostages. Essentially, Hamas had already broken the terms of the ceasefire with its obscene carnival-of-the-grotesque hostage-release ceremonies and its plans to blow up multiple buses. Only divine intervention prevented that when moronic terrorists set the timer for PM instead of AM.

For many of the families of hostages and former captives, this decision was profoundly painful, and several took to social media to express their dismay and concern.

Most Israelis agree that we just need to get our hostages back, no matter the cost. We worry desperately that Hamas members may take out their anger on the remaining living hostages and kill them, or that the remains of the murdered may be lost in an airstrike. We understand the military imperative to defeat Hamas, and this renewed campaign has caught the terror organisation by surprise to the point that it hasn’t been able to respond effectively, but at what cost to our hostages and civilians in the Gaza Strip? Though Israelis have been appalled by civilian support for the carnival of the obscene that were hostage-release ceremonies, we certainly don’t want civilians killed.

There’s another massive price we pay, namely our soldiers. Israel has lost 844 soldiers and 69 police officers since 7 October. They, too, are our sons and brothers, husbands, colleagues, friends, fathers, and family. They, too, are our sisters and mothers, daughters and wives. Nearly everyone knows someone who has fallen. To live in Israel during war is to be touched by grief and loss.

This week, the Israeli defence ministry’s rehabilitation department said it had treated about 16 000 soldiers since the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023, including soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

About half of those admitted to rehabilitation centres during the war have PTSD including 2 900 soldiers suffering both physical injuries and psychological distress.

At least 6% were defined as having moderate injuries and another 4% as having severe injuries. Seventy-two are listed as amputees, with reservists making up about 66% of the 16 000 soldiers.

A return to war is also a return to rockets. Israelis are well aware what we need to do when we hear sirens, but we never get used to the fact that homicidal maniacs are firing rockets and missiles at us from multiple fronts, hoping to kill as many of us as possible. We’re all hyper-aware that any noise may be that all-too-present siren. I don’t think there’s another country in the world where the words “hostages” or “mamad” (shelter) is in the lexicon of small children.

War is brutal, complicated, and painful. Though many express empathy, it’s impossible to comprehend fully what it’s like unless you’re living through it as your day-to-day reality. Israelis are war fatigued. The toll is too painful, too high. These past nearly 18 months have really tested our resilience muscle, but we will never stop until the last hostage is home. Release them NOW!

• Rolene Marks is a Middle East commentator often heard on radio and TV, and is the co-founder of Lay of the Land and the SA-Israel Policy Forum.