Oct. 5, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: Hamas was founded in 1987, and their charter states that the only solution to the Palestinian question is violence, and calls for the destruction of Israel. In 2006, the people of Gaza popularly elected Hamas as their government. If a society conducts a democratic election and votes in those who espouse violence and the destruction of a country, then one should assume that a significant portion of the voters in that society espouse violence and the destruction of a country.
Hamas, the elected government of the people of Gaza, prioritized spending on ways to kill Jews and destroy Israel and enrich themselves over spending on schools and hospitals and the well-being of Gazans. In 2023, Hamas terrorists slaughtered hundreds of innocent civilians attending a music festival. One of the attackers from Gaza called his parents in Gaza that morning, saying “Look how many I killed with my own hands! Your son killed Jews!” To which his (innocent civilian Gazan) father replied, “Oh my son, God bless you” through tears of joy. His (innocent civilian Gazan) mother said, “I wish I was with you,” and the killer of unarmed civilian music festival attendees replied, “Mom, your son is a hero.”
The killings were celebrated in Gaza, and the anniversary of the killings is celebrated in Gaza to this day. Footage of those killings and the joyous family conversation quoted above is readily available, and is instructive.
Tragically, many thousands of Gazan civilians have been killed in the war by Israel against Hamas, and Hamas hides near schools and hospitals in the logical belief that Israel is less likely to attack them there.
The death toll of German civilians when we rid their country of the popularly elected Nazi party was unavoidable and tragic. RUSS ORRISON Lexington
