This comment is far too long to respond to point by point, but I'll address this one because I'm so sick of seeing it.

Yes, Israel withdrew from Gaza completely in 2005. But on their way out, they placed Gaza under total seige!!

This is like having squatters in your apartment who, after a few years, finally agree to leave, but then they weld the doors and windows of the entire building shut on their way out. Oh, and they take control of your access to water and food/medicine deliveries, etc. And they tell you that if you leave, without their express and capricious permission, they'll kill you.

But hey, you got your apartment back! Why aren't you happy?? Why don't you turn your sealed off apartment building into a thriving state instead of fighting back?

Hamas is a terrorist organisation who didn't even win a majority, they haven't allowed elections since 2006 (meaning that the majority of people being bombed and starved right now weren't even born when they came to power), and while the people of Gaza are clearly not slaves, they have almost no autonomy or freedom thanks to the combined actions of Hamas and Israel.

There is a resolution in the UN right now, has been since 1998, that lays out a path to peace (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_General_Assembly_Resolution_43/176#:~:text=in%20this%20matter.-,Votes,that%20voted%20against%20the%20resolution.).

All it requires of Israel is that they obey international law. 138 countries in favour, two abstentions, and only the United States and Israel voting against. This resolution has been voted on several times over the years, always with overwhelming international support, and with Israel, the U.S., and occasionally one or two other countries voting against.

To be extremely clear, I don't believe that Hamas' attack was about freeing Gaza. There is no punishment against Hamas that I would object to. I object to the tens of thousands of innocent civilians being killed alongside them, and I object to Israel's continued cruel oppression of Palestinians. Oppression that started long before October 6th, 2023.